As someone who is working to bring a new healthy living centre to Collingwood ward, I understand why people living near to and using the new healthy living centre at Dudley have every reason to celebrate new investment to improve the health of local people.

The money, through the Primary Care Trusts, came from central government and is part of the record investment being made in the NHS.

Ironic then that the Conservative Mayor of North Tyneside should join in those celebrations. The Conservatives oppose Primary Care Trusts but more importantly they also oppose the investment being made in the NHS.

The Conservatives are committed to 20 per cent cuts in public spending across the board. They are also committed to passporting money from the NHS to private health care. Subsidising private operations would cost £1b each year. Where would that leave healthy living centres or indeed the NHS under the Conservatives?

Not so much a fair deal for hard working families- more a raw deal for hard – working families.