The UK is facing an incredibly difficult time with the cost of living soaring and families desperately concerned about how they will afford to get through the winter months. Instead of a competent UK Government able to fix the chaos they’ve created, we have a government determined to cling on to power regardless of the cost. Britain has faced financial crises before, but it has been astounding to watch as the UK Tory Government’s plans cause the pound to plummet and trust in the UK collapse. This UK Government not only tanked the economy, but they watched it happen and failed to take action to prevent it. The Tories talk and talk about levelling up but without a stable economic foundation, this is just a pipe dream. The damage has not only been done to the UK economy but also to the reputation of the Tories as the party of economic responsibility. They have neither the plans nor the trust to get the economy back on track. It is time for a UK Labour Government that will put working people first and create a fairer society.

The Prime Minister’s resignation this week after just 44 days in the job just shows how out of ideas this Tory Party is and how desperately we need a General Election to put things right. We are now headed for our third Prime Minister this year. The damage has been done by the Tory Party and they cannot be allowed to create any more damage to our country.

I was able to speak during Welsh Questions this week on how privatised rail companies are failing Wales. It seems that rewarding failure is this Government’s guiding principle, and even Conservative Members agree. Avanti West Coast is the worst performing operator on the rail network, but Ministers spent an eye-watering £4 million of taxpayers’ money on bonuses to company executives for “customer experience and acting as a good operator.” I have not met a single person who uses Avanti who would consider them a good operator with adequate customer service. This rewarding failure must end. We need a competent UK Government that is willing to put the funding into our essential infrastructure and support the people and businesses of Wales that rely on our public transport system.

I was pleased to visit a Smart Money Credit Union collection point in New Tredegar and say hello and thank you to the local volunteers. Credit Unions of Wales are a group 10 financial cooperatives working together to ensure that people have access to affordable credit and ethical savings. Credit unions have millions of members across the work and 97% of those in Wales would recommend their credit union to their friends and family. Credit unions not only offer loans and savings support, but also offer budgeting advice and help with debt. I am a member, and I would encourage everyone to join their credit union. Visit their website to find out more.

It was great to have Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves in Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney this week. She gave the annual Keir Hardie Lecture and visited Sharp Clinical in Rhymney with myself and our MS Dawn Bowden. Sharp is a global leader in clinical supply chain services operating in the US, the UK, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It was great to visit the Rhymney branch and to meet some of the staff there and to see some of the great work that they do. It’s great to see good quality jobs in the local area.

If there are issues you want to raise with me as your local MP, please get in touch by emailing gerald.jones.mp@parliament.uk or by calling on 01685 383739.