Funding for sports (and the arts) are often the first things facing the chop in difficult times.

There's a loss of faith in the banking system that for so long has been the backbone of prosperity and growth.

I'm honoured to have been selected to be the Labour candidate for Manchester Central.

As the economy faces such difficulties, more tough questions need to be asked about what the Tories would do if elected. Their ideology of free markets and small government needs challenging. That has to be part of our job.

I will take a short time out from being in Parliament when the baby is born but I'll still be doing my constituency work - just with another baby in tow.

At times unpopular measures are needed in order to change behaviour.

What the Lib Dems have failed to do is offer any meaningful agenda for government or for power.