LABOUR front benchers have been out campaigning in marginal Bolton West in a bid to put the NHS and public spending at the centre of the election debate.

On Tuesday the party’s Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth was out on the doorstep with candidate Julie Hilling in the seat won by Conservative Chris Green by 936 votes in 2017.

Yesterday Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Peter Dowd visited the constituency to make a speech and discuss public spending under a future Labour government.

Mr Ashworth told voters that the current government’s cuts and talks over a UK/US trade deal were placing the NHS at risk and leading to long hospital waiting lists.

He said: “In Bolton West we’ve got a Tory MP who’s been supporting cuts to health services, cuts to social care services.

“It means we’ve got patients at the Royal Bolton waiting months and months for services.

“We need Julie back in Parliament fighting for the NHS in Bolton West.”

Mr Dowd said: “Only a Labour government will provide the investment our public services need. Our fully-costed manifesto has a proper plan. Under Labour our police, teachers, and medical staff will finally get the support they need.”

Ms Hilling said: "This government have constantly let down our hard-working nurses, doctors and hospital staff, and pushed our health service to crisis point.

“Now they plan to put our NHS at the mercy of American health companies.

“Bolton West has seen cut after cut from this government. Chris Green won’t stand up for our towns against his party. We need actions not words. “