WORCESTER'S Labour parliamentary candidate insists her party's manifesto will reverse a "decimation" of public services after years of cuts.

Councillor Joy Squires has reacted to the formal release of Jeremy Corbyn's election blueprint launch in Bradford, telling the Worcester News it will help "families who are struggling to cope".

It comes as the city's Tory parliamentary candidate Robin Walker rubbishes Mr Corbyn's pledge to nationalise water companies, calling it "insane".

Labour's manifesto included a raft of ideas that were first leaked last week, including phasing out tuition fees, a 45p income tax rate on people earning over £80,000, more free childcare for two, three and four-year-olds, a guarantee over the triple lock on pensions and renationalisation of the railways.

Mr Corbyn also wants to nationalise England's nine water companies and the energy industry, raise the minimum wage to at least £10 an hour by 2020 and hire 10,000 extra police officers.

Cllr Squires said: "Labour’s manifesto is about building a better and fairer Britain, where children get the education they deserve in good, properly-funded local schools, our local NHS gets the money it needs, pensioners are protected and can access decent social care, disabled people are treated with dignity and respect and working families earn a real 'Living Wage'.

"Seven years of a Conservative Government have decimated our public services, left wages stagnating and families struggling to cope.

"Too many in Worcester are at the sharp end of Tory policies, it's time to put that right."

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But Mr Walker, has previously called the manifesto a "lurch to the left", said: "Now they've added water to the long list of things they want to nationalise.

"In Severn Trent we've got some of the lowest, if not the lowest water bills in the entire country, they've put lots of investment into infrastructure.

"In my seven years as an MP I've not had a single complaint about a water bill in Worcester, this idea is particularly barking."

He said the manifesto was "lacking in credibility", with the Tories set to launch their own election blueprint today.

WE WANT TO HELP CHILDREN, SAYS KEARNEY

WORCESTER'S Lib Dem hopeful put children at the heart of his campaign yesterday.

The party wants to triple funding for the early years 'pupil premium', with extra cash given to nurseries, preschools and school receptions when children enrol from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Stephen Kearney said the pledge would benefit Worcestershire by £383,963 in extra funding, with more than 1,300 three and four-year-olds benefitting.

The cash would triple the funding to £1,000 per pupil per year, up from £302.

He said: "We will give children in the city and beyond a brighter future, by investing in those from more deprived backgrounds to give them the best possible chance in life.

"This forms part of a package to build a fairer Britain and ensure no child or young person is left behind.

"A vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote for a brighter future for people across the city."

The party unveiled its manifesto yesterday, which included help for people to buy their home at the same cost of renting, restoring cuts to housing benefit since 2015, a 66 per cent discount on bus passes for 16-21 year-olds and votes at 16.

The Lib Dems also want all primary school children to get free meals, something Labour have also matched.

VOTERS BACK LABOUR'S IDEAS

LABOUR’S plans to increase education spending and stop hospital closures have found favour among voters in the West Midlands, a survey has found.

A new survey has found 43.1 per cent of respondents in the region agreed with Labour’s plans to boost school budgets by £6 billion a year.

That was the most support for any major policy pledge by any of the major parties.

Some 41.4 per cent agreed with Labour’s plans to freeze on hospital closures.

Labour’s education plans even found strong levels of support among people planning to vote for other parties.

Some 68.8 per cent of people saying they plan to vote Lib Dem and 36.4 per cent of would-be Conservative voters agree with the extra schools cash.

Among voters in the West Midlands, the most popular Conservative election promise was recruiting 10,000 more mental health staff.

That was supported by 41.5 per cent of people across the region.

Caps on energy prices (34.4 per cent) and cutting immigration (34.0 per cent) came next.

The Lib Dem’s most popular promise was extra education spending while for the Green party it was scrapping tuition fees.

The study, run by the Worcester News’ publishing company Newsquest in partnership with Google Surveys, was completed online by more than 8,000 people across the regions of England.

BREXIT VOW BY WORCESTERSHIRE HOPEFUL

A LIB Dem parliamentary candidate in Worcestershire has urged voters to ‘think Brexit’ when they vote for their next MP - saying her party offers a genuine choice.

Councillor Margaret Rowley is standing once again in Mid-Worcestershire, the fourth time she has done so.

The Lib Dem, who came second in the 2010 general election, said: “The majority of people in Mid-Worcestershire voted to leave the EU but many did not vote for the extreme form of Brexit that Theresa May has imposed on us.

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“We are the only party fighting for you to have your say on the final Brexit deal.”

Cllr Rowley has led the opposition Lib Dem group on Wychavon District Council since 1999.