Stephen has revealed that under a Labour government, 6,226 2-4 year olds in East Ham will received 30 hours free childcare a week.
The radical expansion of free childcare to all exceeds the Lib Dems’ offer, and will save families thousands of pounds a year. It will be accompanied by opening a Sure Start centre in every community to “unlock the potential of all our children”.
New analysis by the House of Commons Library, commissioned by Labour, found that under the expansion of free childcare that Labour will deliver:
the average parent of a two year old not currently eligible for childcare support would save over £5,000 a year
parents with children aged 2-4 who are currently only eligible for 15 hours, would save over £2,500 a year.
Speaking about the announcement, Stephen said: “This is the real change that the next Labour government is going to bring to people’s lives.
“You can’t trust the Tories and the Lib Dems with childcare – they cut more than a thousand Sure Start centres across the country, and told us it’s impossible for the state to make people’s lives better by helping with childcare.
“We’re ending that. Labour’s going to deliver real change.”
Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, echoed Stephen’s comments saying: “The Conservatives are failing a whole generation of children. Labour will deliver the real change Britain needs. Parents are struggling to afford the childcare support they need, while many children are going hungry and growing up homeless.
“Labour will open a Sure Start centre in every community and fund 30 hours’ free childcare for all two to four year olds to unlock the potential of every child.”