LABOUR’S Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Harlow and The Villages, Laura McAlpine was interviewed by Ed Conway for Sky News’ Special Report ‘Britain’s Great Depression’

Laura said: “The banks were bailed out with £500 bn of taxpayers money, whilst in the years since the crash working class industries and jobs have been left to crumble. We’ve seen the richest double their wealth since 2010, whilst the rest of us are getting poorer.

“Austerity hasn’t worked. Growth under this Conservative government has been slower than after America’s Great Depression. We are now seeing families with both parents in work using food banks. In Harlow homelessness has quadrupled since the Tories gained power eight years ago. Only a Labour Government with policies that prioritise the needs of working class people can fix this mess.”

When questioned about the biggest problems that the people of Harlow face, Laura talked at length about unaffordable housing, crime and the loss of well paid, skilled British jobs.

Peter Dowd MP, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury said:

“This new research demonstrates the utter failure of Tory austerity.

“Eight years of cruel and unnecessary spending cuts are damaging our economy and inflicting misery on the lives of millions of people. Real wages are still lower today than in 2010 and spending cuts continue to push our public services into crisis.

“The Chancellor must use this year’s Budget to end the failure of austerity and repair the damage done to our schools, hospitals and local communities