Simon Lightwood MP: “The King’s Speech represents a new era of national renewal"

Across Wakefield and Rothwell and across the UK, people voted for change.

They voted to turn the page on the Tories -- who put their own interests above that of the country.

Their chaos directly harmed the finances of every household in the country.

Keir Starmer’s new Labour Government is a government of service, with a clear mandate to deliver the change our country desperately needs.

The recent King’s Speech shows that we have a credible plan with credible solutions.

That we are prepared to roll up our sleeves and tackle the big issues.

Big issues like anti-social behaviour -- which comes up all too often when I speak to people across Wakefield and Rothwell.

Fourteen years of Tory cuts has seen community policing decimated, and trust and confidence in the police reach an all-time low.

Labour’s King’s Speech lays the groundwork for cracking down on anti-social behaviour, giving police new powers through new Respect Orders and powers to tackle retail crime.

We will take strong action to tackle knife crime, and prevent young people being drawn into crime with Young Futures hubs, providing the support young people need.

This is alongside our pledge for 13,000 extra police officers and PCSOs to restore public confidence in the police again.

This new government will also take bold action to tackle the scourge of child poverty. Under the Conservatives, child poverty rose by 700,000, whilst Liz Truss’ disastrous mini-budget crashed the economy and left households with soaring bills and mortgage rates.

Labour’s new government of service will never allow that economic chaos to be repeated. Our changed Labour Party is the only party that can be trusted with taxpayer’s money, and trusted to deliver the policies that will transform the lives of families up and down the country.

The King’s Speech also set out Labour’s pledge to set up Great British Energy, a publicly-owned energy company that will deliver the next generation of good jobs, and slash household bills by investing in our clean energy security.

And our New Deal for Working People will make work pay, with a genuine living wage and an end to unethical practices like fire and rehire.

This King’s Speech has laid the groundwork for an economy that works for working people, with economic stability at the forefront.

Alongside action on reducing household bills; boosting our national energy security; making our streets safer; and making work pay, this new Labour Government has the ambition to drive Britain forward. To turn the page on fourteen years of Tory rule.

Labour will usher in a new era of national renewal, and has already set out a clear direction for our country. We know that change will not happen overnight, but the Prime Minister and this new government know that our work is urgent -- and it begins now.