This week the government is unveiling new policies covering schools, hospitals and housing.

We have always said that we will support a genuine reform agenda that brings about real improvements in our public services.

We will not support an agenda that is driven by an ideology that says services must be privatised.

This has proved costly to the taxpayer and has pushed loyal hard-working public sector staff into the hands of private companies keen on making a profit, cutting pay, pensions and conditions.

Real reform is about putting people before profit and we shall be putting the latest plans under a microscope to make sure they do just that.