MP COLUMN : Andrew Gwynne MP Discusses Labour's Plans for Economic Recovery and Public Services in First Budget

Andrew Gwynne shares his view on Labours first budget since 2010

The budget is finally upon us, and it’s time to close the book on 14 long years of high tax, low growth, short-termist economics, and welcome a new chapter of stability, investment, and long-term thinking.

Labour’s first budget since 2010 will be about fixing the foundations of our economy and Andrew Gwynne MP Discusses Labour's Plans for Economic Recovery and Public Services in First Budget"g the groundwork for delivering on our promise for change, repairing our public services and placing more money into the pockets of working people.

The work has already started, just last week the chancellor announced an additional £1.4 billion to rebuild and repair our neglected schools, ensuring that our children get the education they deserve.

As part of this much-needed boost to schools, I was delighted to secure funding to rebuild my old primary school, Denton Russell Scott. The school has long suffered after a botched rebuild in 2015 by the now defunct company Carillion, this left the school with leaks, unusable playing fields and sewage running through the corridors. This neglect will soon end however, as we look to rebuild the school for future generations, providing a state-of-the-art school, built to the highest standard.

It’s not just in education where the government is fixing the decade of neglect, the chancellor earlier this year pledged £1.8 billion to reduce waiting lists, providing more than 40,000 more appointments and procedures per week. I am pleased to say this is now being joined by an extra £1.57 billion to deliver new surgical hubs, scanners, and radiotherapy machines, to help reduce wait times across the NHS, and to get patients the care they need.

Make no mistake however, we face an uphill battle in this effort. In the first three months of the year, the Tories spent the nations reserves three times over. We have an economy riddled with low productivity, low investment, and with a myriad of deep-seated issues to resolve. In one budget, it won’t be possible to undo 14 consecutive years of damage.

Despite this dire inheritance, there are good reasons to be optimistic. We finally have a stable, united government for the first time in years, with a laser focused approach to tackling the countries problems.

This budget marks the first step in undoing the damage, and we are laying the foundations to deliver higher living standards, better wages, better public services, and good jobs for people across the country.