Paul Murphy Labour THE election campaign is well under way now, and I have enjoyed talking to people around the constituency on the campaign trail.

It has been an honour to serve the constituency where I live and was brought up. No matter what other jobs I have held in government, serving my local area has always been of great importance to me.

If re-elected, I would continue to hold regular surgeries and do my best to stand up for local people.

The people I speak to realise that there is a real choice facing them on May 5, between a Labour and a Tory government.

Much work is left to be done, but people here certainly don't want to go back to the days when unemployment was rife in our valley and mortgage rates reached 15%, under the last Conservative government.

Under Labour we have the lowest unemployment and mortgage rates in a generation. Since 1997, record amounts of money have gone into our public services, meaning extra doctors, nurses, teachers and police officers. New parents have more support, with tax credits, the Child Trust Fund, maternity and paternity rights and improved childcare provision.

Our pensioners now benefit from free bus passes, up to £300 for the Winter Fuel Payment, extra money through the pension Credit and record increases in the basic pension.

The prospect of Michael Howard and the Tories in power, cutting £35 billion from our public services, doesn't bear thinking about.

Just imagine the devastation that such massive cuts would cause to our schools, hospitals and police force. Not to mention the difficulties hard working people would find themselves in if Gordon Brown's sound management of the economy was replaced by Tory boom and bust.

But the progress that we have made is only a start - much more needs to be done to improve the lives of hard working people in our area. We need to continue to work hard to make our communities safer and better places to live in.

Only by the people of Torfaen voting for me on May 5 and helping to return a Labour government, can I help deliver for our area.

Paul Murphy was elected MP for Torfaen in 1987. He was appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in October 2002. He previously served as Secretary of State for Wales from 1999 until 2002. He was Minister of State for Northern Ireland with responsibility for Political Development from 1997 to 1999.