The Labour Party: 30/04/2012 Party Election Broadcasts

A lot of things have changed in Birmingham

since I was growing up here.

But the lessons I learned back then still hold true today,

like the importance of standing up for what you believe in.

Now, whether we like it or not, government, locally and nationally,

has a dramatic influence on the quality of our lives.

In the painful two years of this government

it has become even more difficult to bring up a family.

Prices are rising higher than wages,

a million young people are out of work

and the banks still pay out big bonuses while families struggle.

Unbelievably, the Conservatives recently introduced a tax break for millionaires

whilst at the same time making millions of poorer families pay more.

Labour, on the other hand,

would have put 100,000 young people back to work

by taxing those bankers' bonuses.

You know, the Conservatives seem hell-bent on destroying our National Health Service.

They've already laid off over 4,000 nurses.

It's going to cost an estimated £3 billion

to implement a reorganisation

that only David Cameron and a couple of his mates actually want.

If Labour were in power, they would protect,

not destroy, the National Health Service.

They'd absolutely stop nurses being laid off

and go back to cutting waiting times and improving the quality of care.

You know, it's not just when you're young, growing up or ill

that you need a government that supports you.

How you doing? All right?

It seems this Conservative government wants to punish our senior citizens.

The "Granny Tax", introduced by George Osborne in the recent Budget,

seems like a deliberate attack.

Labour wouldn't have targeted millions of people

living off their pensions who find it hard enough living as it is.

They would've helped four million elderly households

by taking on the energy companies who make the essentials

like heating and light so ridiculously expensive.

I'm leading a changed Labour Party in these Local Elections.

Showing how we can tackle rip-off prices like gas

and electricity bills.

Showing how we can create real jobs for our young people.

And showing how we can change our economy

so it works for all working people, not just a few millionaires.

If you want to vote for a party which believes in you,

that's with you, then vote Labour.