2 weeks Ago
The leaves have fallen and the clocks have gone back and the nights are very long again. The change always seems to catch people off guard. It’s little by little but then all of a sudden everything feels different.
Will the long nights last forever, or will spring come again? It’s the same in politics , change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of thousands of small decisions, the hard work of millions of people across the country, and a mix of social and economic pressures all swirling together like the ever-shifting weather. After the years of darkness with the Conservatives, it feels to some like that’s just normal and we can’t expect anything better.
But recently we saw the first signs of real change. The first ever female Chancellor of the Exchequer delivered the first budget of this new Labour government. She drew a line under what came before.
No more reckless choices that devastate lives. No more help for those who already have everything while working people struggle. It's time to ensure hard work is rewarded, it's time to ensure children get the best start at life and it's time to make sure our NHS is there when you need it.
I’m thrilled that Bolton will see the benefit in a real physical way, with £20million of funding secured to revitalise our town centre. 8,700 Bolton residents will see their wages rise because of the uplift to the minimum wage. Billions are being invested in vital services and infrastructure, including roads, rail, health and education.
We can’t change everything as quickly as we’d like and there are difficult choices being made but we are investing in Britain’s future. It’s one of the reasons I made time to meet with Bolton Junior Girls’ School when they visited Parliament just before the budget. I hope that our message of hope, optimism, and a brighter future under a government and a Chancellor who are committed to improving lives and rebuilding towns like Bolton and our country goes some way in restoring faith in public service.
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