Labour's plans for jobs in the East Midlands

Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, was in Derbyshire today, Monday 31 October, to launch Labour's campaign for Jobs and growth in the East Midlands.

Ed was joined by Rachel Reeves MP, Labour's Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, on a visit to Manthorpe Engineering, Ripley, where they called on the Government to adopt Labour's five-point plan for jobs and growth to boost the East Midlands economy.

The five-point plan contains emergency measures to help boost the East Midlands economy: 

1. Bring forward long-term investment projects – like the 44 Building Schools for the future projects scrapped by the Government here in the East Midlands, roads and transport – to get people back to work and strengthen our economy for the future.

2. A £2 billion tax on bank bonuses to fund up to 5,500 jobs for young people and build 1,400 new homes in the East Midlands. 

3. Temporarily reverse the Tory-led Government’s VAT rise and put £450 back in the pockets of families in the East Midlands.

4. Cut VAT on home improvements, repairs and maintenance to five per cent for a year – to help homeowners and small businesses here in the East Midlands. 

5. Give the 140,000 small firms here in the East Midlands a one year national insurance tax break if they take on extra workers.

Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, said:

"These are dangerous times for Britain's economy and worrying times for millions of families.

"Week-by-week, day-by-day, with every downgrade in growth with every new set of unemployment figures, we can see the government’s plan is failing. That is an economic emergency.

"Only a government which is badly out of touch with what is happening in Britain’s factories, its high streets and its homes, would fail to realise that. It is clear - it is hurting but it has not worked.

"We are calling for an emergency budget now. A real plan for jobs and growth to get our economy moving again and help get the deficit down in a steadier and more balanced way.

"A clear five-point plan to create jobs, help struggling families and support small businesses."

Ed Balls MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, added: 

"It’s now time for the government to change course because the evidence is now clear that the government’s economic plan is hurting, but it has not worked.

"Every day that passes when the government are doing nothing, means more jobs lost, more young people with nothing to do, more businesses going bust, and millions and millions in extra borrowing to pay for the cost of that failure.

"The government can call their new plan whatever they like: Plan A plus , Plan B. It doesn’t matter what it’s called. Britain just needs a plan that works."

News on the Jobs and Growth Campaign

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