Leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband, has written an article published today in the Globe explaining why our readers should vote for his candidates next Thursday.

Prime Minister David Cameron will have his say in next week's edition.

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By Ed Miliband

THIS election offers voters in Wirral a clear choice between the Tories’ failed plan for Britain – and a better Labour plan that offers hope for you, your family and our country.

When I visited Wirral last week, I laid out a simple idea that runs through our plan: that Britain only succeeds when working people succeed.

The Tories boast about an economic recovery but, while it may have brought the banker bonuses back to the City of London, it has not reached the front door of families in Wallasey, West Kirby and Woodchurch. Average wages are down £1,600 since David Cameron entered Downing Street, and millions are stuck in low-paid, insecure jobs.

Unlike the Tories, we have been listening to the people of Wirral.

You have told us you are worried about the health service; GP waiting times and Arrowe Park Hospital.

A few weeks ago, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham visited Hoylake and pledged to work with health service staff to make Arrowe Park a better hospital, delivering more nurses and doctors through our Time To Care fund and repealing the Tory health act which opened it up to privatisation.

And I was able to talk with local residents about our plan to improve the lives of families in Wirral at a People’s Question Time at Pensby High School.

People in Wirral West are all too aware their current Tory MP Esther McVey has failed to stand up for them, with families across Wirral hit by the bedroom tax and the savage cuts she has championed.

The Wirral Tories haven’t been listening and that’s why they are in crisis mode. It is extraordinary that the Tories have had five years in government and 19 days before an election they suddenly promise a ‘review’ of tunnel tolls. A review that was already happening under Labour.

By electing Margaret Greenwood in Wirral West and returning Frank Field, Angela Eagle and Alison McGovern to parliament as Wirral MPs, voters can be assured their voices will be heard.

In Westminster, your Wirral Labour MPs will support our planned legislation to ban exploitative zero-hours contracts and ensure that anyone who works regular hours for more than 12 weeks will be entitled to a regular contract.

Your Wirral Labour MPs will be part of a Labour government that will properly support working families.

Labour will reward work by raising the minimum wage to more than £8 an hour by October 2019, and extend free childcare to 25 hours for working parents of three and four year olds.

We will balance the books and bring down the national debt. Our manifesto isn’t full of unfunded, unfair and unbelievable promises like that of the Tories, who really haven’t got a clue where the money comes from to pay for vital services like local schools and the NHS.

Labour will control immigration with fair rules stopping people who come here claiming benefits for at least two years and banning employers from undercutting local people’s wages by exploiting workers.

And only Labour is standing up for Wirral’s young people. We have a plan to cut class sizes in schools, reduce tuition fees for those who are going to university, but also guarantee an apprenticeship for every school leaver who gets the grades.

I am ready to fight for working people every single day.

If Wirral voters elect Margaret, Angela, Frank and Alison for a Labour government on May 7, I am ready to fight for you.