LABOUR’S Jonathan Ashworth has claimed the country has “had no serious economic plan for 14 years”.

Speaking to GB News, Mr Ashworth said: “Whatever Rishi Sunak and other Tory MPs may tell you in the next 24 or 48 hours about tax changes, the reality is people are worse off. Are you better off under the Conservatives? No you’re not.

“The reason why the tax burden is so high are the Conservatives. The reason for that is because we’ve had no serious economic plan for 14 years.

“We’ve had 14 years of poor growth and squeezed living standards, which is why our priority as a Labour Government will be to grow our economy, to work hand in hand with our business community because we know that businesses create jobs and to help spread prosperity.

“We want to get our economy motoring because we know that’s the way in which you can invest back in the economy, and you can really raise living standards for working people.

“If you’re a young couple, and you want to get on the housing ladder and you can’t at the moment because there aren’t enough houses being built, the Labour government is going to build a million and a half more houses.

“And a young couple who wants to start a family? Well, the Labour government is going to deliver free breakfast clubs in every primary school for children. We’re going to invest in recruiting more specialist teachers. And if heaven forbid you fall ill there’s going to be 2 million more appointments in the National Health Service.”