Opinion: I think we can do better than this

From doctors to dentists, the cost-of-living crisis and the future of our public services, there is a lot

that needs fixing in the city, writes Andrew Pakes, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Peterborough.

Life has got tougher since the last election. We’ve had 25 tax rises since 2019, with the highest tax burden since the Second World War and the biggest fall in living standards on record. Last week we slumped into a recession. People are fed up.

Nothing seems to work anymore.

One of the biggest questions I get on the doorstep or visiting local community groups is, why?

Why do I want to represent our city given the reputation MPs get?

Why do I want to put myself forward given the nasty, divisive nature of much of our politics?

The answer is, I think, that we can do better.

Like many of you, I am fed up watching the circus in government, the lack of action against those who ripped us off over PPE, and the never-ending crisis in the Conservative Party.

But this is also personal to me.

The thing that propelled me to get back into politics happened in 2016. Don’t worry, I am not about to mention the ‘B’ word or ‘that’ referendum. 2016 was the year my brother died.

Following an accident, he went to bed one night and never got up the following morning. My family went through the heart-wrenching experience of getting him to hospital. He was kept alive on life support for nearly a week.

I would not wish on anyone the decision we had to make about life support. But the kindness of NHS workers, friends and neighbours got us through that most dreadful of times.

It also convinced me, at the height of political division in this country, that we have more in common. That we can achieve more when we work together, even if we disagree on some issues along the way.

This is my type of politics; practical, bringing people together and looking for the best in our people, the best in our city.

I want everyone to have the best NHS, when they need it. I want families to have opportunities. Opportunities my brother will never have.

I want to use the power of politics to reduce inequality and to make sure families do not need to choose between heating and eating or turn to foodbanks for help.

Over a 1,000 people went to local A&Es last year with tooth decay because they couldn’t find an NHS dentist.

Waiting lists, already rising sharply before the pandemic, have now reached record levels.

We can change that.

Politics can change that.

My brother was a skilled welder. But too many of the jobs he ended up taking were lower skilled because our economy has been ground-down. The pride and respect of a skilled tradesman replaced by insecure work. We are a proud, working city but too many people are working harder and getting less for it.

We can change that. Starting by reversing the decline in young people starting an apprenticeship.

After 14 years of the Conservatives in government, it is time for a fresh start in Peterborough and across the country.

We need change not just in the direction of the country, but also in the way politics is done.

I pledge to play my part.