The Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, visited Gravesend to speak about Labour's plans to revive the economy in Kent.

Mr McDonnell came to the Old Town Hall in the High Street just days after the Chancellor Philip Hammond's spring statement.

He used his address at the conference, entitled 'Road to rebuilding the economy', to tackle the issue of austerity and how the party could raise living standards.

Scroll down to hear from the Shadow Chancellor

Speaking to KentOnline, he said: "The key issue now is to campaign for the end of austerity. We can't go on like this.

"The Conservatives have inflicted, in an area like this, pretty harsh austerity for nine years; it has impacted on schools, local health services, it has impacted on local skills training for the future but also the number of police that have been taken off the streets means that people are feeling insecure and understandably with the rise in stabbings that haven taken place across the country.

"We have got to end austerity and start investing back into the community."

He was joined by fellow MPs Anneliese Dodds and Lyn Brown, as well as local councillors Lauren Sullivan and John Burden at the conference, which was part of a national campaign tour.

When asked about Labour's position on Brexit, he said: "The argument that we have put forward is that we have got to get a compromise.

"Not everyone will get everything out of this negotiation."

At the conference this morning he was due to say: "A near decade of austerity has hit communities in Kent very hard.

"The whole social fabric of our society has been torn apart by a toxic Tory cocktail of callousness and incompetence.
"Kent has been badly let down by the Tories, with living standards squeezed by relentless cutbacks to public services.

"Philip Hammond’s spring statement has failed to address this crisis facing communities in Kent."