Having a good job and a decent home you can afford to live in are two of the most important issues for people living here.

I know people don’t like it when we talk about the last Conservative Government! But the truth is we’re still dealing with their failed legacy on housing: their failure to build new council houses to replace the ones people bought, and their failure to invest in keeping the remaining council houses up to a decent standard.

Labour has already put huge investment into repairing and refurbishing rented social housing in this constituency. Millions of pounds have been spent on putting in new kitchens and bathrooms, tackling damp and improving insulation.

In January, the Government announced £1m for the Council to build 23 more homes on Birkenshaw Road in New Parks. Lots of these will be family homes with 2 – 3 bedroom homes, and all will be properly insulated so they’re energy efficient. The Council will also make sure new jobs and apprenticeships for local people to help build these homes.

I think this is great news for local people. But it’s a drop in the ocean compared to the scale of the task. That’s why I’m campaigning to make sure schemes like this are available across Leicester West, in the communities that most need them.

I also want to make sure people who own their own home, get help through the recession if they need it. Because of the action Labour has already taken, the current repossession rate is running at half that of the last recession. But we can’t afford to be complacent. That’s why the Government’s recent announcement that more help and advice will be given to homeowners in Leicester is so important.