Last night the House of Commons voted to hold a General Election on Thursday 12 December. I am proud to be Labour’s candidate for Barnsley Central. I’m standing because my commitment to Barnsley is a long-term one.

Although Brexit has dominated our political debate in recent years, this election is about so much more than our future relationship with Europe.

A decade of Tory austerity has devasted our town and our country. Too many people are in low-paid and insecure work, too many children face barriers to opportunity. Our public services and infrastructure are rapidly deteriorating due to chronic under-investment and we are in the midst of a climate emergency.

Recently, I joined fellow MPs and local councillors in signing a joint letter to the Prime Minister calling for the cuts to Children’s Services to be reversed, and for our councils to receive the investment they need and deserve. As we all know, Theresa May’s time in Downing Street is coming to an end. She still has a golden opportunity to transform the lives of some of the poorest children and young people in our communities, by reversing the cuts that her government, and previous Conservative and Coalition governments, have inflicted upon areas like ours. Indeed, Barnsley has borne the brunt of almost a decade of austerity. We are the hardest hit Borough in the country, and, at the same time, we have some of the most vulnerable children to look after. Sadly, I have no confidence whatsoever that this opportunity will be taken. If we are serious about making sure that every child gets the best possible start in life, then we have got to take the necessary practical steps to make this happen.