Today (18 December 2025), Luke Myer MP used his final speech of the year in Parliament to pay tribute to the people of Brotton following the devastating fire on Errington Street recently, and to underline the support now underway for the families affected.
Luke visited the Brickyards last week and spoke with residents on Errington Street, as well as Accent Housing, which manages two of the four affected properties. The fire impacted two families with young children, a young woman, and an elderly pensioner, and Luke’s office is now working with the relevant authorities and partners to help those affected access the support they need.
In his speech, Luke highlighted the way the community rallied round in the immediate aftermath – particularly the efforts of neighbour Steffan Bentley who organised a crowdfunder that raised over £2,000 within days, alongside wider local support coordinated by councillors and backed by local pubs and village halls opening their doors.
In his speech, Luke said:
“The way the community came together afterwards to support those residents was truly remarkable… [it is] who we are in East Cleveland. And across Teesside as well.
“As we look to Christmas, we see that spirit of community coming out across our area – in our church halls, our foodbanks and our warm hubs. That is what the spirit of Christmas is truly about, and it is what we on Teesside have always been about. There has been a long effort from many politicians over the years to tell a slightly different story of England; one that is about individuals working hard, pulling themselves up and putting themselves first. We have seen a shift towards that atomised England in which we lead parallel lives. Well, that is not what I have seen in Brotton in the past couple of weeks, and it is not what I see every day. I think that perhaps we are a nation of George Baileys rather than a nation of Scrooges.”
Tomorrow Luke will be back in the area to meet with ward councillors Graham Cutler and Barry Hunt, speak with Cleveland Fire Brigade, and discuss any further support needed from his office.