If I talk about Redcar in the House of Commons tearoom, half the people groan that it is a heavy industrial area, riddled with pollution-bellowing chimneys. The other half's eyes light up as they remember the wonderful beach.

Redcar constituency is a mixture of those two.  Though the pollution is minimal these days, the industrial appearance certainly remains.

I have often suggested that there should be a sign at the beginning of Redcar town - "Redcar, the oasis from industry" to make the point that the North-East's loveliest seaside resort lies ahead. But that would only be part of the story.

Eston and surrounding areas have freshness of air and brightness of outlook, and are very desirable places to live.

But the real pride of Redcar is its people

These are the descendants of the great iron and steel pioneers, who, by their skill and hard work, not only shaped the environment in which we live but dug and cast and engineered the bridges, ships and multiple products that have been sold around the world making life better for those who use them.

We can take pride in the way in which local people have adapted to economic change. More now are employed in the retail sector and the service industries.

Local unemployment is around 4%, the lowest for nearly 30 years. The Government has plans to move well paid civil service jobs out of London which will create more opportunities.

We have plans for new leisure developments, sustainable power generation and major recycling plants, again offering good jobs in healthy lifestyles. The economic multiplier effect makes jobs from jobs.

In addition, there are more teachers, more classroom assistants, more nurses, more doctors and some, entirely new public sector jobs, like council wardens, community support officers and Redcar's town marshals.

No amount of government training courses, New Deals and lifelong learning chances can make this happen unless people of the right calibre accept the need for change - in themselves as well as in the world around and do what Redcar folk are fantastic at doing - they go for it!