The shadow chancellor in the last government was in Lower Earley earlier this week to support her party’s candidate for tomorrow’s general election.
Rachel Reeves spoke to a group of local businesses at Rustic Cafe in Lower Earley on Monday morning, alongside Yuan Yang, the Labour candidate for the Earley and Woodley constituency.
They highlighted concerns to her that included skills shortages, rising costs, a lack of skilled labour and late payments.
The shadow chancellor has been credited for her ‘securonomics’ policies.
Responding to a question from Wokingham Today about what that means for the local businesses she spoke to, she said: “Securonomics is about building a more secure, a more resilient, national economy that works better for ordinary working people.
“One of the things that was raised this morning was high energy prices.
“That’s not unique to Earley and Woodley.
“When Russia invaded Ukraine, we found we were much too exposed to global energy markets.
“That’s why we will set up GB Energy, a wholly publicly owned energy company to invest in our homegrown renewables.
“We have huge potential in the UK, particularly with onshore and offshore wind, but there’s been an effective moratorium on onshore wind, and the investment is not going into other forms of energy in the scale that it needs to help get bills down and bring good jobs to Britain.
“For small businesses who have been grappling with no higher rents, higher rates and higher energy bills, one of the things that secure economics can do by building a more secure and resilient national economy is help get bills down.
She concluded by saying: “I’ve been shadow chancellor for just over three years, and i know what we need to do.
“I am ready for it. I’m now really focused on getting across the line.
“Change will only come on July 4 if people vote for it.
“I’m very focused on delivering the result that I think people want.
“If people want change, they have to go out and vote for it.
“If people stay at home, if they vote for smaller parties, then we risk five more years of the same .
“I don’t think anybody wants to wake up on July 5 and find out that Rishi Sunak is still prime minister.”
Yuan said she was pleased to have more high profile support in her bid to be the new member of parliament for Earley and Woodley.
She told Wokingham Today: “To have the showdown chancellor here shows how seriously the Labour party takes our new constituency.
Describing the area as a “crucial battleground seat” she added she was optimistic about Thursday’s vote.
Other candidates standing in the Earley and Woodley constituency are Alastair Hunter of the Social Democratic party, Pauline Jorgensen of the Conservative party, Tahir Maher of the Liberal Democrat party and Gary Shacklady of the Green party.
