There’s been a lot of talk about the markets lately, and there’s no doubt they can make or break governments – just ask Liz Truss. But all politics is local, and the market I pay attention to is our own Tommyfield Market… or, to be precise, the people of Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton.
I hear time and again about a hardworking community built on graft and contribution, yet one where the cost of living crisis is overwhelming families.
Tomorrow’s budget must speak to local people who are doing everything asked of them and simply want to get on in life. It should at the very least offer some respite from the cost of living crisis, and it must begin to rewrite the economy so it works for working people.
I also see the impact of austerity, lost facilities and its effects have been felt most sharply on our high streets and in our neighbourhoods.
That means giving greater powers and resources to local communities so they can determine their own futures, rather than being beholden to landlords who leave buildings derelict or seek to pack our town, street by street, with low-quality HMOs, profiting from the housing crisis and the misery of decent people.
It also means supporting small and medium-sized businesses so they can thrive, and that of course includes tackling the burden of business rates.
And finally, it’s not just what is done, but how it’s done. People want to be part of the decisions that affect them, not pushed aside. That’s where the idea of a cooperative borough came from, and it’s how the country could finally begin to let people truly “take back control.”
To see a clip from this speech, head to my Facebook page.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 