IN 100 DAYS WHITHER THE UK

IN 100 days the polls will be open for the General Election. I see that as a key milestone as we move towards what will be an incredibly close election that Labour is still on course to win.

Labour certainly has plenty to be proud about from the last five years. As an effective opposition, we have held the Government to account over a wide range of outrageous policy decisions. These have included the cruel welfare reforms, imposition of the bedroom tax, relentless attacks on public services, wasteful reforms of the NHS and hopeless inaction to address the housing crisis and escalating energy costs. While Shadow Fire Minister, I was also particularly proud to lead a campaign which resulted in this Government's half-baked ideologically driven plans to privatise our fire services being shelved.

But, unlike the Tories and Lib Dems, as a party we have never focused solely on the inadequacies of our political opponents; we have plenty to be proud about ourselves. Perhaps the most memorable achievement locally was the campaign to save Bombardier. I was delighted to lead the biggest petition Derby has ever known and I am in no doubt that our fierce opposition to the outrageous decision to send the Thameslink deal overseas affected later contract awards. Another issue I have been heavily involved in has been lobbying for funding to protect and enhance Derby’s flood defences, and again we have enjoyed success on that front too.

We have also fought hard to highlight the issue of low paid workers being penalised through zero hours contracts, an issue which is firmly on the agenda for all parties to address. And in this city we have led a campaign to persuade employers to offer the Living Wage, with the council having been the first major organisation to rise to that challenge.

Labour is less than 50 seats behind the Tories, who currently hold 303 seats against Labour's 257, so we know already the election is going to be tight.

It is therefore all the more important that people who believe in social justice and want a progressive government should unite behind Labour. Only a Labour government can help the country to recover from five ruinous years of Tory control. Labour is the only party capable of forming a government with progressive solutions to the challenges facing the country on issues like the cost of living crisis, housing, NHS, education, environmental sustainability, energy, jobs, social care and transport.

This could be Labour's year to return to power, but it is going to be close. I therefore urge anyone who thinks that Britain deserves better; who wants austerity to be jettisoned; who believes in putting public service before private profit; to join me making it happen.