WHILE change across government takes time, last week marked an important step forward as this Labour government continues to deliver on its manifesto promises and improve outcomes for families across Leigh and Atherton.
I have always believed that the role of government is to shape a society that is fair, compassionate, and delivers real improvements in people’s day-to-day lives.
That is why recent reforms—from lifting the two-child benefit cap to strengthening employment rights and increasing the State Pension—represent a genuine turning point for working people.
For too long, the two-child benefit cap has been a quiet injustice at the heart of our welfare system.
It has disproportionately affected larger families, pushing children into poverty and placing immense pressure on parents.
In Leigh and Atherton, I see the consequences of this policy every day—families skipping meals, children going without essentials, and parents forced to make impossible choices.
Lifting the cap is a vital step forward.
It means approximately 450,000 children will no longer grow up in poverty.
The evidence is clear.
Children who are given the support they need early in life are more likely to be healthy, to succeed in education, and to move into secure employment.
In turn, this strengthens our economy, reduces demand on overstretched public services, and helps create more stable communities.
By acting early and providing the right support, we can reduce long-term pressures on services while giving every child a fair chance to succeed.
Separately, the introduction of the new Employment Rights Act begins to rebalance the relationship between workers and employers after years in which insecure work became the norm.
Too many people have been trapped in exploitative zero-hours contracts, lacking basic protections and facing uncertainty about their income from week to week.
These reforms include:
- Crack down on exploitative zero-hours and short-hours contracts, introducing a new right to a guaranteed-hours contract.
- Make work more family-friendly by strengthening paternity leave entitlements and providing greater support for employees to balance work with family and community responsibilities.
- Ensure employees receive Statutory Sick Pay from their first day of illness, rather than waiting until the fourth day.
- Strengthen protections against unfair “fire and rehire” practices.
Work should offer security and stability, allowing people to plan ahead, support their families, and avoid financial precarity.
Workers across the UK will also take home more money each month, with significant increases to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage which came into effect on 1 April.
Stronger workers’ rights do not just benefit individuals—they build a stronger, more resilient economy.
When people are paid fairly and treated with dignity, productivity rises, businesses benefit, and communities thrive.
Efforts to raise living standards extend to older generations too.
Over 12 million pensioners will see their State Pension rise by up to £575, as both the basic and new State Pensions increase by 4.8% under the Triple Lock guarantee.
These reforms reflect a clear belief: that this Labour government stands on the side of working people.
For too long, families across the constituency have carried the burden of a system that did not work for them.
Now, we are beginning to rebuild that system so that it finally does.
Taken together, these changes represent a clear shift towards a fairer deal for working people across Leigh and Atherton.
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