Tulip Siddiq MP

• I WAS shocked, but not surprised, to read about the near doubling of the life expectancy gap between rich and poor in Camden over the last decade, (Rich and poor life prospects, February 27).

Sir Michael Marmot, a leading health expert and distinguished resident of the Hampstead and Kilburn constituency, released his extensive review of health inequalities in the UK last week.

The results are stark. For the first time in 100 years, life expectancy has stalled. And for the poorest 10 per cent of women in our society, life expectancy has actually gone backwards.

We have all seen the dreadful impact of Tory cuts to schools, hospitals and police over the last decade on people’s lives. Sir Michael’s review has drawn a clear link between austerity choices made by the Conservatives in government over the last 10 years and rising health inequality and child poverty.

One of the areas Sir Michael highlighted as vital for tackling health inequalities was the quality and availability of early years support. He linked the devastating loss of Sure Start and children’s centres to rising child poverty, and called on the government to put more money into early years.

As Labour’s shadow early years minister, I have been echoing his calls and pushing the government to increase early years funding in the upcoming budget.

In Parliament this week, I challenged the education secretary on the fact that childcare workers have suffered real terms pay cuts under the Tories and that thousands are being driven out of the sector by low pay. We must reverse a decade of austerity and start improving life chances for everyone.

TULIP SIDDIQ MP
Member of Parliament for Hampstead and Kilburn