It is now increasingly clear what a toxic legacy has been left for this country after the last 14 years of Tory government.

Public services on their knees, prisons full, a flatlining economy, taxes at their highest levels in 70 years and now a £22 billion blackhole in the nation’s finances.

This will not be easy to fix and will inevitably require difficult – even unpopular – decisions from the new Government, if we are to turn this around. But in order to fix the fundamentals of where things went so wrong under the Tories, there is rightly a central focus on growth and getting the economy back on its feet again.

In Bury, we are fully behind this mission to grow.

More than that, we are ready to start delivering on it too.

Despite the challenges of 14 years of Conservative austerity, despite the ongoing cynicism and negativity of some opposition parties locally, we have seen real progress on our plans in towns like Radcliffe. It has taken time, but we are now seeing the fruits of those many years of labour.

For the first time in a decade, Radcliffe children are being taught in a Radcliffe High School.

The construction work on the new leisure centre and library hub is underway. The refurbishments of the Market Chambers building, and Market Basement are happening. New affordable housing on brownfield sites has started on site as well. Next month, we expect to see work on the new Radcliffe Enterprise Centre begin – whilst keeping the current library service up and running. A new 3G football pitch and changing facility is complete. When the Government talks about growing the economy this is what it will take to do that. That’s why we want to keep going and do more.

The ongoing delivery of the regeneration work in Radcliffe is a flagship for how we can grow but also do so in a way that benefits local people. We want to see new and improved buildings but also happier and healthier people. People will better access to education and skills. Streets that are safer and cleaner. This is what can happen when we grow the economy and ensure the benefits of that growth go back into local areas and local services. This will be our big focus locally then; to grow but to grow in a way where everyone can share in that success.

This will be true of all our regeneration and town plans, and it will require a concerted local effort alongside regional and national support. This is the case we are making to the new Government, and I remain confident that we can demonstrate how we will deliver it. Let’s do it!