Shadow chancellor: Norwich North key to election victory

Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves visited the key Labour target seat of Norwich North

The road to Downing Street "runs through Norwich North", according to Labour shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves.

The seat is a key battleground for Labour in the upcoming general election.

The Norfolk constituency's current Conservative MP Chloe Smith has said she will not stand for re-election, having held the seat since 2009.

During a city visit, Ms Reeves said: "We are not going to have a Labour government unless we get elected here."

Norwich North is a key Labour target in the general election

Labour has made Norwich North one of its main targets in the next general election, which has to take place by January 2025.

Ms Reeves visited the city on Thursday as part of a tour of key Labour battleground seats in the East of England, including Great Yarmouth in Norfolk as well as Lowestoft and Ipswich in Suffolk.

'Time for change'

A recent report by the Future Health research centre found Norfolk and Waveney had one of the highest levels of malnutrition in the country.

Ms Reeves pledged to introduce free breakfast clubs in all primary schools to allow parents to return to work, as part of plans to tackle the cost of living crisis.

She also announced Labour would cut household energy bills by insulating five million homes over the next five years.

"The key thing that voters are saying to me is that nothing is working today," she said. "People know it's time for change and are looking again at Labour."

Alice Macdonald is the Labour candidate for Norwich North

Alice Macdonald is the Labour candidate for Norwich North who joined Ms Reeves on her visit.

The pair visited Goldsmith Street which is an award-winning development of city-council owned homes.

But the Labour-led city council was recently listed as one of the worst landlords in the country for handling tenant complaints by the Housing Ombudsman.

In its Annual Complaints Review for 2022-23, it listed Norwich City Council as the only landlord with 100% of complaints upheld.

Ms Macdonald said: "It's about having that long-term plan that shows people how we will better insulate their houses, get bills down and support Labour councils who are trying to do the right things in very challenging circumstances."