THE official Labour prospective Parliamentary candidate for Redditch is Jacqui Smith.

Ms Smith is married to Richard Timney and has two children. She has lived in the town since 1986.

The Labour candidate said she had been honoured to serve the town as MP since 1997 and was determined ''to build on the positive improvements which have taken place over the last four years''.

Ms Smith said: "We need to ensure the Alexandra Hospital and local health services continue to go from strength to strength and to keep the extra police officers on the beat that we've seen in Redditch this year so crime rates fall even further.

"We need even more money for local schools to continue the improvements in standards.

"To continue this investment in services, we need a strong and steady economy.

"With a Labour Government, people can be confident of finding and keeping good jobs, hard-working families will continue to benefit from low mortgage and inflation rates, pensioners will keep their winter fuel payments and pension increases and businesses can invest with confidence.

"I know there's more to be done in Redditch, Inkberrow, Feckenham and Cookhill and I hope I and a Labour Government will have the chance to continue that work."