It received little attention last week, but it’s a fact. This period of Conservative government has now exceeded that of when Labour was in office between 1997-2010.

Sometimes I hear on Watford’s doorsteps: “You’re all the same”. People are entitled their opinion, but my heart sinks because that isn’t the reality, is it?

Compare the record of the two parties over the same time span.

  • NHS waiting lists cut under Labour from 18 months to 18 weeks with record low waiting times in A&E. Watford hospital was set to be rebuilt.
  • Doubled the spending per pupil in schools and cut class sizes. There were 42,000 extra teachers. The Sure Start programme gave all children the best start in life.
  • The national minimum wage. Paternity leave doubled and improved paid annual leave to 28 days a year.
  • Families were helped with tax credits and Labour increased child benefit by over 26%.
  • Free bus passes and free eye tests for the over 60s and free TV licences for the over 75s.

All that combined with a decade of economic growth and the longest period of sustained low inflation since the 1960s is impressive and was transformative.

The Tories’ record? 40-year high inflation pushing up the cost of food and everything else, highest taxes for 70-years, rip-off fuel bills, mortgages and rents through the roof and petrol prices remain high, an NHS on its knees, schools in crisis. Everyone is worse off.

Rishi Sunak is the last in a long line of Conservative Prime Ministers who’ve failed and are not up to the job.

There’s a better future ahead. We need change. I am the only person who can deliver that in Watford at the next General Election.

  • Cllr Matt Turmaine is Labour's Parliamentary candidate for Watford