Today the Chancellor delivered the Spending Review to Parliament, all focused on making working people better off, rebuilding schools and hospitals and reinvesting in the country after 14 years of Tory decline.
As well as detailing huge funding boosts to nuclear energy projects, the NHS and transport networks, the spending review showed a clear ambition to not leave communities like Oldham behind. For far too long there has been a disparity between the North and the South in terms of opportunity, infrastructure and investment. But this Labour Government is looking at ways to make up for lost time.
Whether it’s building more affordable homes, improving local transport links, or funding the frontline services people rely on every day, this is about making life that bit easier for working people – easier to get to work, to buy a home, to see a doctor, to feel safe in your community, and to get the skills you need to move forward.
For Oldham, this means:
More GPs and shorter NHS waiting times, thanks to a £29 billion funding boost to frontline healthcare.
The biggest investment in affordable housing in a generation – £39 billion to build social and affordable homes.
A safer Oldham, with police funding rising by 2.3% each year to help keep our streets secure.
Faster, easier travel, with £15.6 billion for better public transport focused on better connectivity for Northern towns such as Oldham.
Real opportunities for young people, with £1.2bn each year to support over a million young people into training and apprenticeships.
Lower bills, through a nationwide Warm Homes Plan that will save families and pensioners up to £600 a year.
Better support for children and schools, including massive investment to rebuild schools and crumbling classrooms, £555m transformation funding for children’s social care and improving local facilities like youth clubs, libraries and parks.
These are Labour choices made by a Labour Government, made for working people. Specifically, people in Oldham.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 