Across Bury and Britain, households are being hit hard by a financial wrecking ball.

In my house, we were stung on new years day with the end of our fixed term rate.

The mortgage market is reeling from the Tory economic crash and the chaos.

Now thousands more face huge increases to mortgages or rents with new bills for hundreds of pounds more a month to pay.

In Bury North, the average mortgage is £1,800 a year more.

Readers will know others paying even more than this, just to keep hold of the family home.

This Tory wrecking ball is smashing house budgets everywhere.

Now new energy bills surge again this week.

Households are sinking under the weight of the cost of living crisis.

The Tories should be taking action now.

Instead they’re bickering among themselves. Or ducking votes in the Commons on matters of integrity and human character.

Thousands of families in Bury play by the rules.

The mortgage and rent price explosions make it tougher than ever. So many people are doing all the right things but are getting clobbered.

Politics demands practical thinking. What works is what counts. Instead we've an out of touch government sitting on their hands. Soundproofed from the difficulties facing so many.

Labour's plan to ease the Tory mortgage penalty offers practical help now. And keeps our promises on financial responsibility and economic growth.

Labour would instruct the financial authorities to assist.

We would require lenders to allow a switch to interest-only mortgages in the short term.

Under Labour, terms of the mortgage could be extended to reduce re-payments, for the product’s term.

And it would be mortgage holders who could determine if this support can be reversed sooner.

Our plan also requires the banks to wait a minimum of six months before initiating repossession proceedings for the hardest up.

With a general election round the corner, I know its not enough to point at the Tories and their 13 years of failure.

Labour will provide Britain and Bury with the leadership it takes and the practical help with change you can trust.

Labour isn’t only a compelling alternative to the hopeless, neglectful and broken Tory government.

Labour will not leave working people facing this economic crisis alone. We share your belief in better.

Another future is possible. Labour has a plan that matches the scale of the challenge. With the vision and detail to get a grip of the mess this tired government is presiding over.

James Frith is the Labour Candidate for the general election. He served as MP for Bury North between 2017-19 and hopes to again. He tweets @JamesFrith Contact James@JamesFrithForBuryNorth.com.