It’s been a hectic few days at Labour Party Conference in Liverpool and it’s straight back to constituency business today.
I had the opportunity to speak in a number of discussions on building a coalition across the country to win across our towns, rural and coastal communities; doubling the size of the co-operative and mutual economy, and on skills, drawing on my experience as an apprenticeship who left school at 16 and straight into the world of work.
The mood was very positive but also realistic about the challenges ahead and what is needed to rebuild our country after a wasted decade which has left households on the brink, the national debt now a trillion pound more than when the Tories took office, and inflation still running at a 40 year high with all of us feeling it’s impact.
As a former councillor and now supporting the local government association and the cooperative council innovation network I was really pleased to hear a clear ambition for devolving power to communities; for too long things have been done to people and not by and along them. That has to change.
But that can only be done with a solid economy which can grow and create decent working class jobs in all parts of the country, and public services which are there when you need them.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 