JON ASHWORTH: 'Giving every child the best chance in life has to be at heart of Labour’s vision'

'The British people are yearning to hear a compelling story about our country’s future with bold urgent action', the former shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth writes

My message to Keir Starmer’s top team: put children , decent jobs and the NHS central to your Budget next week.

When Chancellor Rachel Reeves presents her second Labour budget we all expect her to raise some taxes. In a perfect world, she wouldn’t want more tax rises. But we don’t live in a perfect world .

To stabilise the public finances helping mortgage rates float down, invest in the economy and transform the NHS, tough decisions on tax will have to be taken The simple truth is, years of Tory austerity , a mishandled Brexit and the barmpot recklessness of Liz Truss hammered the economy leaving working families wo