Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland has been named by national road safety charity Brake as their Road Safety Parliamentarian of the Year.
The award comes following Greg’s long-running campaign to get justice for victims of criminal driving, including the Bill he recently presented in the House of Commons, the Criminal Driving (Justice for Victims) Bill.
The Bill itself came on the back of a manifesto of changes Greg published last March, after a roundtable he chaired of families and campaigners in December 2014.
Greg Mulholland began campaigning on this issue after his constituents, Otley resident Jamie Still and David and Dorothy Metcalf from Cookridge, were killed by drunk drivers in December 2010 and January 2012 respectively.
Due to his extensive campaigning, the charity Brake also named him Road Safety Parliamentarian of the Month in April 2009 and in March 2015, as well as Road Safety Parliamentarian of the Year in 2012.
Greg received Brake’s latest award at the charity annual parliamentary reception, held at the House of Commons.
Greg Mulholland MP said:
“I am very honoured to have been named Brake’s Parliamentarian of the Year. For many years now, I have worked with Brake and its fantastic staff, who have been very supportive of my campaign to get better justice for victims and families of criminal driving. It has also been a real pleasure to have worked with families and campaigners determined to get that justice. This award represents the work that we have all done together, and no doubt we will continue campaigning until we get the changes that we need to see. Until we get there, I look forward to continuing to work with Brake, so a huge thank you for this award.”
Karen Strong, mother of Jamie Still added:
“We, as a family, wish to congratulate Greg for winning this award after all his hard work. Greg has worked tirelessly over the last four years helping Rebecca’s petition and the Jamie Still Campaign reach so far. He has never given up and is now hopefully making some very real changes on our behalf. We are very lucky to have Greg as our MP and he is very deserving of this award.”
Clive Metcalf, son of David and Dorothy Metcalf, also added:
“I’m really pleased that Greg is being recognised in this way. As a local MP, he has campaigned very hard to fight for justice for my parents David and Dorothy and I know that he will continue to do so. The recent Bill he introduced in Parliament shows this, so a huge congratulations to Greg for winning Brake’s Road Safety Parliamentarian of the Year, the award is very well deserved.”
Campaigns director for Brake Gary Rae said:
“We’ve honoured Greg Mulholland not only for bringing forward his Criminal Driving Bill (Justice for Victims) but his consistent and long term commitment to improving road safety. The cause has been high on his agenda since he was first elected and he sets a great example to his fellow MPs. At the heart of Mr Mulholland’s bill are families torn apart by criminal driving. We know from our work with them just how much it means having someone fighting for them at the highest level for real change.”
