Bobby Lobby: Fed takes officers’ concerns to Westminster

2 November 2026

Durham Police Federation chair Louise Guest has welcomed the opportunity to strengthen relationships with local MPs and highlight the challenges facing police officers.

Louise met Mary Kelly Foy, Labour MP for Durham City, and a representative of Sam Rushworth, Labour MP for Bishop Auckland, during the Police Federation of England and Wales’s (PFEW) Bobby Lobby event in Westminster.

Held ahead of PFEW’s annual conference, the event gave Federation branches the chance to meet their parliamentary representatives and highlight the challenges facing police officers.

(left to right) Louise Ramshaw (deputy branch chair) Labour MP,
Mary Kelly Foy, Louise Guest (branch chair)

Fair pay, the wellbeing of officers, and the workforce retention crisis, were among the topics of conversation.

The meetings also provided an opportunity to reinforce concerns around local policing provision and funding, building on issues already raised by Durham’s MPs in Parliament.

Louise said: “It was an excellent event.

“It can sometimes be difficult to find time in busy parliamentary diaries, so being able to meet MPs and their advisers in Westminster and take our concerns directly to them was really positive.

Regular contact

“We were able to talk about the general welfare and wellbeing of officers, the conditions they are working in and give some real-life examples of what is happening on the ground.

“It was really worthwhile and meaningful, and developing those relationships can only be a good thing.”

Louise is keen to build on the conversations and maintain regular contact with the MPs and their teams.

She added: “I would definitely like to continue that dialogue and develop those relationships.

“And I know that PFEW are looking to do a Bobby Lobby event every year, which would be really good and beneficial to do.”

READ MORE: Pay & Morale Survey highlights stresses and workloads on officers.