This article was originally published in the Sunderland Echo. To read the original article click here.

This is my first column for the Echo since being re-elected as Member of Parliament for Houghton and Sunderland South at the recent General Election.

Having been born and raised locally, it’s the privilege of my life to represent the area I love.

So I will start by saying to constituents: thank you for putting your trust in me.

I promise I will work hard for you and your loved ones day in, day out – regardless of your politics.

This is also my first column for the Echo since becoming Secretary of State for Education.

I was recently told I’m the first Sunderland MP to sit in Cabinet for over a hundred years – it’s an honour to be our area’s local voice on the national stage.

My role meant I had a front row seat for the Labour government’s first King’s Speech, which unveiled an ambitious, fully costed plan bringing forward the laws we need to rebuild our country for the long-term.

The Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, stood on the steps of Downing Street and said the work of change would begin immediately – he meant it.

The country voted for change, and this King’s Speech is an ambitious and mission-focused agenda for change.

The Bills we have announced will fix the foundations of our public services and begin a decade of national renewal.

And they will have an impact here in Sunderland.

Cheaper, cleaner energy to bring down people’s bills.

More homes to help young families get on the housing ladder.

Public transport that will, at last, provide value for money.

A transformed skills system to create more apprenticeships for our young people.

But make no mistake, fixing the fundamentals won’t be easy.

Our public finances are in their worst state since the second world war and at every stage, the Conservatives ducked the hard choices and swept the problems under the carpet.

The Tories have left a mountain of mess for this government to clean up, like a Downing Street party – arrogant, reckless, irresponsible.

In contrast, this Labour government is determined to return politics to public service, to restore people’s hope and faith that politics can be a force for good, to end the gimmicks and the lies.

This King’s Speech will take the brakes off Britain, but it is only the beginning.

After 14 years of damage, our work is urgent, and we are hitting the ground running.