Register to Vote Now

In the last year almost one million people have fallen off the Electoral Register across the UK, including over 10,000 in the Wigan Borough.

This is a direct consequence of the Government’s decision to ignore warnings that rushing through new individual registration reforms would damage democracy.

This is nothing less than a scandal. The Government is sitting by and watching tens of thousands of people and in particular young people lose their democratic rights.

But young people must be heard, loud and clear, in the general election. That’s why I’m determined to do all I can to get local young people back on the electoral register, and casting their vote in May.

This General Election is an opportunity for young people to shape their future with better policies on housing, jobs and pay. So make you sure you have a voice – and then make sure you get heard – because the stakes for your generation are greater than ever.

Next week will see National Voter Registration Day. It only takes a few minutes to register and you can do so here. You will need your National Insurance details to complete the online form.

Post by The Labour Party.

Only Labour has a plan to reverse the Tory NHS crisis

Like many hospitals in England, services at Wigan Infirmary are struggling.

The NHS has been put under unprecedented levels of pressure because of the failings of the government, and the problems in A&Es demonstrates the scale of the Tory NHS crisis we face.

Attendances at hospital A&E departments across the country increased by 600,000 in the first four years of the Tory-led government and last week it was revealed that only 7 out of 140 hospital A&Es hit the target to see 95 per cent of patients within four hours.

The Tory NHS crisis in A&E has its roots in the Government's cuts to adult social care, the abolition of NHS Direct, the closure of almost one in four walk-in centres and its disastrous decision to throw the NHS into the chaos of reorganisation.

David Cameron promised he’d protect the NHS but his Tory NHS crisis proves you can’t trust the Conservatives with the NHS.

This week in Parliament I voted to take action to save our NHS and deal with the Tory NHS crisis. Unfortunately we lost the vote thanks to Conservative MPs and a Prime Minister who refuses to take any responsibility, or even acknowledge that an NHS crisis exists.

Only Labour has the long-term plan to save and improve our local health service.

Firstly, we will invest in training and recruiting 20,000 more nurses and 8,000 more GPs to ensure that the NHS has the time to care for you and your family.

Secondly, we will ensure a binding waiting time guarantee to make sure everyone can get a GP appointment within a maximum of 48 hours. We will also guarantee that nobody will wait more than one week for a cancer test and result.

Thirdly, we will hire 5,000 more care-workers to join up services from home to hospital and ensure that the NHS is more efficient and care is better.

All of this will be paid for through fairer taxes on properties worth over £2 million, on hedge funds, and on tobacco companies. None of our manifesto commitments, including on the NHS, require any extra borrowing.

Building the NHS was one of our greatest achievements and we’re determined to protect it. Only a Labour government can ensure that the NHS will always be there for you and your family when you need it.

Post by The Labour Party.