It was great to attend the Shakespeare North Playhouse event on Thursday with my fellow Labour MPs and Dame Judi Dench. The new playhouse in the heart of Knowsley is a fantastic project for the whole community to use and enjoy.

Due to open in Prescot in 2022, The Shakespeare North Playhouse will host a varied programme including Shakespeare, comedy, music and other theatre shows. It is expected to welcome more than 140,000 visitors each year and inject £10 million into the local economy.

The playhouse is guaranteed to create new jobs and boost investment in the area, this is great news for everyone in Knowsley. I look forward to watching some of my favourite Shakespeare plays when it opens.