A homegrown champion for Norfolk

Pulling on protective footwear, James Wild steps through the ‘authorised access only’ doorway of the RWE Power Station in King’s Lynn for his first appointment of the day. Notebook in hand, he’s ready to discuss energy investments with company leaders amid the hum of machinery that powers thousands of Norfolk homes. 

By midday, he’s swapping specialised boots for busy corridors at Smithdon High School, walking through buildings where leaky windows and crumbling concrete mark the start of a multi-million-pound transformation. Later, he’s at The Rose & Crown in Harpley, where conversations about hospitality challenges flow as easily as the pints being pulled. It may seem eclectic to most, but this itinerary is not unusual for James as MP for North West Norfolk, with defending every aspect of constituency life all part of the mission.

Growing up in North Norfolk, James spent his childhood cycling to Mundesley Beach, playing football with friends and walking the coastal paths that remain his ‘happy places’ today. These formative years in a small market town gave him first-hand experience of the challenges rural communities face, from poor transport connections to limited opportunities for young people.

These frustrations drew him into politics. After working as an advisor in various government departments including Business, Energy and the Ministry of Defence, James stood unsuccessfully in North Norfolk in 2017 before winning North West Norfolk in 2019. 

“I’m here to represent our area’s needs and to promote North West Norfolk in Parliament,” he explains. “I help constituents who need to be heard. People come to me with housing difficulties, benefit concerns or to share their views on policy issues.”

Many voices reach James through his Friday constituency meetings and mailbag, where he listens to everything from special educational needs cases to business rate disputes. These sessions allow him
to escalate concerns to government agencies or liaise directly with councils.

James’s visit to the power station highlights his commitment to understanding regional business needs. “I want to see the investment happening there,” he says. “Energy is crucial, and costs are a big issue for businesses and households.” 

Site visits help inform his backing for policies that reduce regulatory burdens and support local companies, from world-class refrigeration businesses to high-tech manufacturing firms that many Norfolk residents don’t realise exist on their doorstep.

Education holds particular significance for James, who has visited over 40 Norfolk schools and serves as governor at King Edward VII Academy. He campaigned for Smithdon High School’s inclusion in a government rebuilding programme after witnessing the state of its listed but impractical brutalist architecture. “The school buildings will be greatly refurbished with millions in capital funding, which will help give young people access to better education,” James notes.

Hospitality also matters deeply to James. He’s a regular at The Rose & Crown and a consistent advocate for the sector, which employs nearly a fifth of Norfolk’s workforce. “I worked extensively with hospitality businesses throughout the pandemic and recovery period, securing reduced VAT rates and other vital support measures,” he explains. He’s now challenging rising business rates and national insurance costs that threaten local venues.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital is James’s top priority. “We’ve gained confirmation of funding between one to one and a half billion pounds,” he says. This represents the biggest investment in North West Norfolk’s history, supporting 3,000 jobs and serving the entire community. James also believes it’s important to create a pipeline of local people for healthcare careers, which led him to support a new School of Nursing Studies at the College of West Anglia, complete with state-of-the-art facilities.

Economic resilience is central to his ‘Norfolk for Jobs’ initiative, linking job centres, businesses and charities to boost employment. “We have lower unemployment rates than the national average, but there are still people who need help to secure jobs,” he explains. “Employment is so important, providing not just income, but also wellbeing and purpose.”

James is equally passionate about protecting Norfolk’s natural heritage, from preserving coastal waters and precious chalk streams to supporting farmers and producers. “Having grown up along the Norfolk coast, I know how important it is to safeguard our countryside heritage and the people who steward our land,” he says.

James’s deep personal commitment stems from genuine local roots and his desire to raise Norfolk voices in Westminster. “I want to see a more prosperous, safer, cleaner area with an economy that’s growing strongly,” he says. “A place where people know they live in one of the best parts of the country.”

From unlocking a single pensioner’s benefit payments to driving billion-pound investments, James finds great reward in each victory - whether it changes one life or transforms an entire community. 

“Politics affect every aspect of our lives – from seeing a dentist to getting your children a good education and feeling safe in your community,” he reflects. “Everyone has a voice, and everyone can make a difference.”

When representing North West Norfolk becomes intense, James can be found running towards the Wash to clear his head before another busy day of championing the people and places that shaped him.