This week, the Chancellor set out the first Budget of this Labour government. As your MP, I know just how tough things have been for people here in Monmouthshire. The Conservatives crashed the economy and local people have paid the price with mortgage and rent prices soaring, sluggish growth, and public services struggling. The Tories wasted billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money on their failed asylum system, propping up private rail companies and dodgy COVID contracts - leaving a £22 billion black hole in the nation’s finances and public services on their knees. They made working people pick up the bill for their chaos and decline.

With the announcement of the largest ever settlement in real terms for the Welsh Government, we now have two governments working together to deliver for people here in Monmouthshire.

Up to 2,500 of the lowest paid workers in Monmouthshire will see a pay boost with an increased National Living and Minimum Wage. £1.5bn has been announced to right the injustice of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scandal. I’m particularly pleased about the Carer’s Allowance earnings threshold increase. That additional earning, plus the allowance, will put around £500 a month back into the pockets of thousands of these unsung heroes.

Labour has made the choice to protect working people's pay slips by keeping our promise not to raise National Insurance, Income Tax, or VAT. We will focus on growing our economy through investment, so that we can rebuild Britain and support our public services.

As your MP, I will always fight to secure the investment, jobs and public services that we deserve. After 14 years of Conservative chaos, we finally have a Chancellor, and two governments, that are on our side.

This is a Budget that will fix the foundations of the economy and deliver the change that people voted for.

When we were elected to government we knew it wouldn’t be easy to fix the mess the Conservatives had made. We need to make tough but necessary decisions on spending and welfare, crack down on fraud, tax avoidance and waste, and make sure every single penny of taxpayer money is spent wisely.

It is now time to turn the page on Tory failure, and to start a new chapter focused on making Wales better off. Whether that’s putting more pounds in people’s pockets; supporting our NHS; making our homes safer; or redressing historical injustices. Last week's Budget invests in Britain's future.