Angela Smith has today celebrated the help given to carers and parents in making sure our children get a 'Sure Start' to their lives. In these difficult times it is important carers and parents get as much help as possible to make sure children get a good start. Luckily for kids these days' carers and parents have lots of help. With the introduction of the government's highly successful Children's centres many local areas in north Sheffield and Barnsley have expert help readily available. Also with tax credits and nursery vouchers many young mums can now return to work in the knowledge their young children are being well looked after and learning new skills. On top of this new mums are entitled to 9 months maternity leave, which helps build that all important bond with their new babies. For instance Rebecca Reynolds, whose son, Harry is pictured with Angela, said: “My new baby is due at the end of April this year. I will be taking the full nine months paid maternity leave as I did with my first child, Harry who is now 2 years old. Having nine months off with my baby is so important.
For the last year you have been saying that you needed to cut debt further and faster, and yet today, the first opportunity you had when you thought you had identified some savings, instead of cutting debt you have promised to change the National Insurance contributions… You are spending nearly £30bn over a Parliament and you can’t identify the credible way with which you can pay for that… That really is to take an irresponsible risk. It is poor, poor judgement.
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Gordon Brown MP, Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party, today launched Labour's election pledges in a speech in Nottingham. The pledges are: Secure the recovery Secure the recovery and halve the deficit through economic growth, fair taxes and cuts to lower priority spending. Raise family living standards Raise family living standards, keeping mortgage rates as low as possible; increasing tax credits for families with young children; providing new help for first-time buyers; and restoring the link between the state pension and earnings from 2012. Build a high tech economy Build a high tech economy, supporting businesses and industry to create 1 million more skilled jobs and modernising our infrastructure with High-Speed Rail, a Green Investment Bank and broadband access for all. Protect frontline services Protect frontline investment in policing, schools, childcare and the NHS, with a new guarantee of cancer test results within a week. Strengthen fairness in communities Strengthen fairness in communities through an Australian style points-based system to control immigration; guaranteed education, apprenticeships and jobs for young people; and a crack down on anti-social behaviour. These pledges show our determination to secure the recovery and build a future fair for all.