Labour - working hard for the people of Stratford-on-Avon

Labour is working hard for local communities, delivering more jobs, safer streets and high quality public services available to all. Britain has the lowest mortgage rates for 40 years, the lowest inflation for 40 years and the lowest unemployment since the 1970s. The Tories would take Britain back to the failed Tory past of recession, sky high mortgage rates and cuts to public services. Under Michael Howard the Tories are committed to a £35 billion cut to public services. Cuts on that scale could only be found through cuts to frontline services - cuts to schools, hospitals and the police.

More nurses, more doctors

Since Labour came to office in 1997, waiting lists are down, investment is up, and there are 1,813 more nurses and 746 more doctors caring for patients in West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority. The Tories would introduce charges to have basic operations performed more quickly, turning the founding principle of the National Health Service on its head.

More teachers

Since 1997, standards in our schools have risen across the board and there are now 510 more teachers helping children in Warwickshire Local Education Authority. The Tories would cut at least £1 billion from state schools for all to subsidise private schools for the few.

More police

Our streets are safer, crime is down and there are now 76 more police officers fighting crime in Warwickshire Police Force than in 1997. When Michael Howard was Home Secretary in the last Tory government, broke his promise to increase the number of police numbers - instead he cut police numbers by 1,132. Now the Tory plan to cut £35 billion from public spending would mean massive cuts to the fight against crime

Record number of people in work

Unemployment is down by 45 per cent in Stratford-on-Avon and around 740 people have got jobs thanks to Labour's New Deal in Stratford-on-Avon since 1997. The Tories would axe the New Deal and return Britain to mass unemployment.

More for pensioners

In Stratford-on-Avon, the winter fuel allowance warmed the homes of 25,160 pensioners in February 2004 and Labour is helping all pensioners to enjoy a decent and secure retirement. 4,044 pensioner households in Stratford-on-Avon are now benefiting from Pension Credit, with a local average award of £36.51 a week. The Tories betrayed Britain's pensioners when they were last in power. They imposed VAT on fuel and left one in four pensioners in poverty. Now they would let the Pension Credit 'die,' which would hit the poorest pensioners, and they would abolish the Second State Pension.

More for families

In 1997 there was no child care guarantee for parents. Now 9,400 three and four year olds have taken up one of the free part-time nursery education places available in Warwickshire Local Education Authority. When Michael Howard was last in power, the Tories gave hard working families recession, interest rates of 15 per cent and three million unemployed.

This information is from publicly available sources.

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