Last week’s economic figures show that employment is at a record high, unemployment at a 40-year low, and the number of young people out of work is down by nearly half a million.

The rate of employment is now 75.6% – the highest since comparable records began in 1971 and across Aldridge-Brownhills unemployment has fallen by 63% since 2010. This is good news.

We are creating an economy that works for everyone and that is why we have introduced the National Living Wage, cut taxes for over 30 million people, introduced free childcare and implemented a modern Industrial Strategy to create better, well-paying jobs.

Wages are rising faster than prices – growth in real wages means that people are starting to feel the benefit of more money in their pockets; another turning point as we build a stronger, fairer economy.