The cost of living is at the forefront of everyone’s mind at the moment. I know that people want to see lower prices, cuts to bills and more money in their pockets.
And that’s the focus of this Labour government, too.
A raft of Labour’s new measures have now come into force to cut the cost of living for people here in Sunderland. They will see wages go up, bills come down, and more support for those who need it most.
Thanks to Labour’s choices, energy bills will come down by an average of £117.
This is on top of our £53 million investment to help people using heating oil to heat their homes and £150 off bills expanded to 100,000 more families in the North East.
This is a start, but we need to get off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel prices.
That’s why we are investing record amounts in clean, homegrown power – solar, wind and nuclear – to end the era of high energy bills for good.
This mission is creating opportunity for our region, too. By investing in offshore wind in the North Sea, our Labour Mayor is creating 10,000 local jobs.
And with vital investment in Nissan and Crown Works Film Studios too, we are backing local industries and local people here in Sunderland.
As well as getting people into work, Labour is determined to make that work pay.
Our historic upgrades to workers’ rights like day one rights for parental leave are now law, and we are raising wages for over 130,000 people across our region.
And we are increasing the State Pension – because Labour believes everyone deserves dignity in retirement.
We are also investing in our children, the future of our country.
The two-child limit has been the single biggest driver of rising child poverty and with the majority of families affected being in work, it penalises working households.
That’s why Labour is lifting it, and with it, we are lifting 450,000 children out of poverty.
Alongside opening nine new, free breakfast clubs across Sunderland, saving parents £8,000 on childcare and creating thousands more nursery places – Labour is delivering better work choices for parents and better life chances for children.
And that’s not all – we have frozen rail fares, prescription charges and fuel duty, too.
In the face of uncertainty and volatility in the world, Labour is protecting people and their pockets here at home.
But I know there is more to do and further to go. Only Labour has the credible solutions to ease the cost of living and restore pride in our communities.