I’ve lived in the Braintree constituency for nearly 40 years and have never known people to be so worried about the cost of living and cuts to local services.

The high cost of housing is making it more difficult for young people to afford a home of their own. Rail fares and child care costs are soaring.

Hard-working doctors and nurses are struggling to cope.

It’s more difficult to get a doctor’s appointment. More people depend on food banks.

The Labour Party has a clear plan for tackling these problems while still reducing the deficit every year.

We’ll increase the minimum wage and get employers to pay the living wage.

We’ll provide 25 hours of free child care.  We’ll invest in the NHS, employing more doctors, nurses and care workers.

We’ll ensure that our local schools get the support and funding they need.

Braintree’s economic development is being held back by our poor transport links.

The train service from Braintree to Liverpool Street must be improved and become a public service once again.

We must urgently put right the problems with the Braintree by-pass and improve the A120 from Braintree to Marks Tey.

Braintree needs a Labour MP who will fight to get the investment that our area so desperately needs.