Former Wigan borough MP set begin new life across the Pennines

For over 40 years the former Wigan Council youth worker had dedicated her life to caring for family, friends and Bolton West constituents as their Member of Parliament. Plus trying to improve working conditions for trades union colleagues.

But in a couple of weeks the Labour Party's “lady in red” - Ms Hilling could always be easily picked out in her trademark red blazer during televised House of Commons debates - is leaving behind her Atherton home and political base to begin a new life in the White Rose county!

And although her new home with partner Hib Hibberd is in a rural idyll on the edge of the North Yorkshire moors, it's a huge wrench for Julie to leave urban Greater Manchester.

“I have loved living in Atherton and will take many fond and happy memories with me,” sighed Ms Hilling.

Originally from from Oxford and Leighton Buzzard, she studied at Nottingham University and Manchester Poly before eventually settling to live in Atherton when youth work brought her to Wigan Council.

But Ms Hilling had her eyes set on higher things and for eight years she was President of the Community and Youth Workers' Union. Later she became North West Learning Organiser for the NASUWT teaching union and Senior Regional Organiser for the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA).

It was in May 2010 that her five year spell in Parliament started. By just 92 votes Ms Hilling was elected MP for Bolton West and her talents were quickly put to work when she was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Yvette Cooper in her role as Shadow Women's and Equalities Minister plus becoming a member of the Transport Select Committee.

Her other Parliamentary roles included being chair of the all-party Rail in the North group of MPs, plus membership of the Standards and Privileges Select Committee and the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Rail, Youth Affairs, Children, Community and Voluntary Sector. In June 2012 she was promoted to the Whips office.

But at the next General Election, in 2015, her hyper-marginal constituency swung back to the Conservatives by 801 votes. In two subsequent elections Conservatives strengthened their majority to almost 8,000 votes.

Devastated and reflecting after her Parliamentary defeat she said: “Being the MP for Bolton West was simply my dream job — it was the best job in the world and there was never a Plan B.”

But during her five years in the Commons, Ms Hilling brought her campaigning passion to the fore and she spearheaded Parliamentary decisions which would eventually change many peoples' lives.

One of Ms Hilling's major campaigns followed the tragic death of 14-year-old Atherton schoolgirl Jade Lomas-Anderson after being attacked by two bull mastiffs and two Staffordshire bull terriers.

Throughout 2013, the MP actively campaigned on banning dangerous dogs, joining other MPs in a nationwide campaign to eventually present a petition, alongside Jade's parents, to 10 Downing Street before presenting it in the House of Commons. And she also sought to introduce preventative measures such as dog control notices and to control the number of dogs in a household.

“Jade's death was tragic and there is still lots more to do on this issue,” stressed Ms Hilling.

A major highlight was her launch of a campaign – eventually successful - to promote Emergency Life Skills in senior schools and she pressed the Government to introduce it onto the national curriculum. She linked up with the North West Ambulance Service as well as the British Heart Foundation to push for every school leaver in Bolton West to become trained in CPR and ELS. This is now on the national curriculum.

Commenting on the nitty-gritty of constituency work, Ms Hilling added: “I am pleased that with my amazing staff team we completed 10,000 pieces of individual case work which got things moving for constituents and got problems solved. But why did it need my involvement to get things done for these people?

“Having said that I'm proud that we made a difference for people in the constituency and community.”

Reflecting on the biggest challenges now facing the country, Ms Hilling – unsurprisingly – said things had got worse under the Conservative Government: food banks growing in numbers, more people sleeping on the streets and the unprecedented demand on social housing waiting lists.

Speaking of her youth work passion, she added: “And the youth services have been severely hit by Government cash cuts to local authority spending. Most young people don't even know what a youth worker is. Youth Zones are doing good work but young people are crying out for somewhere to go in their communities and someone to talk to … about their problems of just being a teenager, of petty crime and drugs.

“There are virtually no youth workers employed by the local authorities. From being an exemplar of youth work the money Wigan Council has lost from its budget means the youth service has all but gone.

“I hope it will become a priority for the next Labour Government. But they will inherit a terrible financial situation and I don't think there's going to be a 'Big Bang' and the situation will be quickly rectified.”

Another passion for Ms Hilling is the National Health Service. A long-time member of Healthwatch and a governor of Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, she is an advocate for better resourcing of the community health services.

Praising the "priceless work” done in hospitals, Julie also stressed the need for additional cash to tackle health problems in the community caused by physical and mental health, poor living conditions and poverty.

“Everything comes back to community,” said Ms Hilling.

One of the ex-MP's regrets in leaving Atherton is that she never managed to set up a Senior Solutions organisation in the town which works to prevent the damaging effects of loneliness and social isolation on older people.

“I do worry about loneliness for older people. That loneliness can lead to health problems and isolation – finding it harder to go out and meet folk. I hope someone will take on the challenge.”

So what of the future for non-stop Ms Hilling as she moves away in early June?

Public service runs in her blood and a General Election looms later this year. And her Great Ayton new home is in the Richmond constituency of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“I've promised not to get involved in anything straight away … except in the General Election … I cant miss out on the opportunity of getting rid of my MP!”