The challenges we face today require a forward-thinking Party, ambitious in its commitments to change and progressive in its politics. Labour is both of these.

There is important work to carry forward in our mission of social justice at home and abroad. Labour has invested in health, education and in rebuilding the fabric of our society. Labour pioneered the way on civil partnerships, the social chapter, the minimum wage and the first ever Climate Change Act, as well as massively increasing overseas aid and debt relief. We reversed the Tory legacy of benefit and opportunity for a privileged few which saw them hold down child benefit and cut overseas aid. We have made important steps in combating poverty and bringing forward progressive social change.

I am proud to represent Oxford East, where we have two excellent universities and all the benefits these bring. I value the contribution which students make in our community.

I have campaigned on the things which matter to students in Oxford, both on issues of national policy and on local improvements. I worked with students to improve security on the streets, and led calls in Parliament for proper licensing of landlords to improve accommodation standards. I have stood up for overseas students, making extensive representations to help improve the visa regime for foreign students and researchers.

Thanks to Labour policies for opportunity and investment in higher education, there 300,000 more students benefiting from university education than in 1997. I believe that everyone who has the ability should have the opportunity to go to university. I am concerned that students don’t have to get deeper into debt, which is why I signed the NUS pledge to vote against any increase in student fees in the next Parliament.

Labour has taken active steps in helping young people since our election to government. As well as the big expansion of university places and post-graduate students, we brought in education maintenance allowances, trebled the number of apprenticeships, and have given job and training guarantees to young people threatened with unemployment by the global recession. Labour also set up the Office for Graduate Opportunities (OGO) to help young people forward into careers.

I am heartened by the commitment and concern I find amongst students for the future of our planet. I am committed to effective measures to combat climate change and to investing in a sustainable future. I am personally pledged to 10:10. I have pressed for huge investment in renewables, energy conservation and sustainable transport and am proud that Labour has brought in the first ever Climate Change Act. Oxford’s Labour City Council has an excellent record on sustainable practice, and has pledged to reduce its carbon footprint by 10% of its 2006 level.

I believe meeting our international responsibilities is crucial too, like achieving the UN target on the share of GDP for overseas development assistance. I have spoken out on the need to make world financial institutions play their part in combating poverty and making sure the world’s poor do not pay the price of climate change.

I want to see Labour’s drive for fairness extended at home – building on the important steps we have taken on NHS investment, nursery education, Sure Start children’s centres, improving maternity and paternity support, increasing child benefit and bringing in tax credits as well as the Educational Maintenance Allowance and the Child Trust Fund

I have been active in support of Labour measures for social progress, abolishing the homophobic section 28, open and fair recruitment to the armed forces, and bringing in civil partnerships.

I have also voted against the government where I have felt it was the right thing to do, for example in support of the Gurkhas, and to vote against a Heathrow third Runway and Trident.

I am proud of the government’s record on alleviating poverty at home, and of the achievements made while I was Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. During this time, the overall number of people living in poverty fell, as well as the number of children and pensioners in poverty, and the numbers of unemployed. Tackling poverty in our country is crucial to our success as a society.

It’s important to remember the Winter Fuel Allowance, the free bus travel scheme, the Pension Credit, and the Child Trust Funds simply didn’t exist under the Conservatives, who have even refused to protect Sure Start centres from cuts. The Liberal Democrats would cut child tax credits, and have now pledged to put the Conservatives in power if there is a hung Parliament.

Labour is the only party which will really tackle poverty and extend opportunity. I am proud to represent Oxford East – and unlike my Conservative and Liberal Democrat opponents, I live in the constituency. I want to continue working for and with students in Oxford East and I hope you will support me in this vital General Election campaign for the future of our country, our community and our values of social justice.

Andrew Smith MP

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