Some of the central themes of the Labour Party Conference were work, fairness, and security – making Britain the best place to grow up and the best place to grow old in.

This is an important message for areas like my constituency of Dagenham and Rainham, where in Barking and Dagenham we have one of the youngest populations in London and in Havering we have the oldest.

Over the course of the week, colleagues spoke about opportunity and creating skilled work in Britain again, focused on manufacturing and technology.

These national priorities are reflected in our own priorities as work starts on the film studio at Dagenham East, and London’s three historic markets are relocated to Dagenham Dock.

The Thames Freeport area also brings with it job creation and will put our area at the heart of trade in London.

Work should provide not just a proper wage that people can raise a family on, but dignity, flexibility and security. Better pay and more secure work is good for workers, good for businesses and good for the economy.

I hear a lot of talk from the government about “levelling up” but I see precious little action.

I can’t help but contrast this talk with local realities. The Tory government now looks like it will not support the new station at Beam Park, directly undermining sustainable housing development across south Hornchurch and Rainham.

So much for levelling up locally, but worse than that is the effect on the families who have bought homes in the area on the firm understanding that there would be a station.

I have given a commitment to those families that I will do all that I can to get the government to reverse its decision and honour commitments, ensuring that ‘levelling up’ isn’t just a soundbite to our local community.