I doubt there is a candidate in the land who for a brief

moment, faced with an abusive comment or a personal attack, hasn’t questioned

their reasons for standing. Fighting in a difficult seat with minimal

resources, these moments might happen more often. However, my experience this

morning has crystalised in my mind why I am representing the Labour Party and

why the fight is so important.

I visited the Rise Sure Start centre in Chippenham. It’s

tucked away amongst local authority housing, next to St Paul’s Primary School. The

hour and a half I spent there, talking to the managers and staff was one of the

most inspirational and motivating 90 minutes of my life. I left the centre

utterly convinced that Labour was making a difference in deprived communities,

had made enormous strides in repairing our ravaged society and offered the best

hope for a fairer future.

Sure Start is not something I had personally experienced

before today. Although I have a seven week old daughter, we are still trying to

get ourselves organised to attend our local centre in Corsham. My meeting with the

centre co-ordinators was enlightening and educational. We discussed the impact

of Sure Start beyond the boundaries of the centre itself and how Rise has

become a hub for social cohesion, friendship and learning.

To explain the full range of opportunities on offer at Rise

would do a disservice to the fundamental principle which guides it. Sure Start

is about much more than the nutrition, parenting, family and cookery courses

they provide. Its childcare and structured play sessions are wonderful and

vital, but taken in isolation, don’t capture the significance of what is being

achieved there. The overarching message being radiated from Rise is “equality

and hope”.

Everyone is welcome, everyone is involved. There is no

social segregation. This is not a centre for poor families, or an exclusive

nursery for the rich. It is a powerful unifying force in the community. It

brings people from all backgrounds together. Mums learn skills and techniques

from each other, families share experiences and understanding, and community

spirit is the result. This is not the nebulous “do it yourself” community

PR-speak of Cameron’s Tories. It is real, it is delivering fundamental change

in people’s lives and it requires government investment to grow. Targeting Sure

Start only at the most in need is to break the spine of the system. It must be

for everyone and not a stigmatised place for struggling families to attend.

The message of Rise in Chippenham is clear – invest in our

communities, break-down social barriers, believe in people and abandon

prejudices. Threatening Sure Start means threatening the hope and community

these centres bring across the country. Sometimes investment has a quick

pay-off and sometimes it takes a generation to fully blossom. Sure Start will

improve the lives of people from infanthood to parenthood, improving ambition,

disincentivising crime and teaching values. It is a shining example of what governments

can do and I will fight to ensure it remains at the heart of our nation’s

future.