I’m on the Work and Pensions select committee and this morning we visited Charles Dickens Primary School in SE1 to talk to parents, children and teachers about the impact of the benefits freeze and other welfare cuts imposed by the Coalition on local families. Nationally, these issues are pushing people into debt and poverty.

In the House of Commons this afternoon, I asked the Government to end the benefits freeze next year. This would lift 200,000 people out of poverty. The Spring Statement is coming up next week and I hope the Chancellor uses it to end the benefits freeze and the terrible situations it causes for families in Southwark and beyond.