Last week’s Autumn Statement was a smoke and mirrors trick from a Government desperate to cling to power.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt sought glowing headlines for National Insurance (NI) cuts but the Institute for Fiscal Studies found his changes give back less than £1 of every £4 taken away in changes to NI and income tax since March 2021.

The question my constituents are asking themselves today is the same one they will be asking at the next general election - do my family and I feel better off than when the Conservatives came to power 13 years ago? The answer is an emphatic ‘No!’.

Prices, energy bills, mortgage payments and personal debt are all up. And despite the Chancellor’s sleight of hand, the tax burden is at a 70-year record high.

Why? Because the economy is bumping along the bottom with miniscule growth and a gloomy outlook.

Labour’s first mission in government would be to get Britain growing again. A key element is to build 1.5 million homes to kick-start UK plc and help tackle the affordability crisis.

We have a local example of how this could boost growth if a 1,550-homes scheme was allowed on the former Winnington Works site.

Northwich Guardian: Chancellor Jeremy HuntChancellor Jeremy Hunt (Image: PA)

But the block to this plan is Government keeps rejecting a vital funding bid for a new Winnington Bridge given the existing swing bridge is not only a pinch-point but is reaching the end of its life.

The project even has the backing of neighbouring Tatton MP Esther McVey, recently appointed Tory minister for ‘common-sense’. It’s just a shame no common-sense has been applied in this case.

Instead of a tax gimmick, Hunt could have bolstered public services like our NHS, which is creaking due to Tory austerity and rising costs.

If we are going to grow the economy, we must get more people into work.

But our employment rate has not returned to pre-pandemic levels due to long-term health issues while people await treatment on record NHS waiting lists.

Labour has pledged to invest an extra £1.1 billion a year to deliver two million more appointments, scans and operations funded by abolishing the non-dom tax status.

Growing the economy and investment in our public services is at the heart of Labour’s plan for government. I’m impatient for a general election so we can put our plan into action.