Not ordinary people says Northumberland Labour

Northumberland Labour says the failure of the government to act in the interests of ordinary people shows it’s not on their side.

From shying away from a windfall tax for energy companies to bringing in National Insurance at a time when people can least afford it, presiding over record hikes in council tax and sitting back while fuel and food prices spiral out of control, the Conservatives have shown whose side they’re on.

Shadow Cabinet for Business and regeneration Lynne Grimshaw said:  “In 12 years we’ve seen more and more people relying on food banks, plunged into poverty, fewer people able to afford to put a decent roof over their head and life expectancy getting shorter. It’s clear that they are simply out of touch, irresponsible or simply don’t care about the people they’re supposed to be serving.

“In a modern rich society you don’t expect to see things go backwards. Successive governments should be continually working to improve people’s living standards and life expectancy. Instead we’re being plunged back into some sort of Victorian era where people have to go food banks just to get by.

“I honestly don’t think there is a single area where the Tories have made life better for ordinary people. Many people turned against Labour in the last general election and put their faith in the Conservatives.

“People will make up their own minds but from where I’m standing it looks like people have been let down on a grand scale.”