I know first-hand that secure work and a secure home are the foundations of a better life for ordinary Britons. That defines our missionFor 14 years, the Conservatives failed working people by choosing austerity and decline. As a result, public services are crumbling and working people have paid the price. Though we come from different generations and grew up in different parts of Britain, the prime minister and I both saw how politics could make a difference to people from working-class backgrounds like ours. But the country we inherited in July had seen those opportunities denied to too many working families. That’s the Britain we are determined to change.This week we turned the tide, choosing investment over decline. The budget charted a course for national renewal, fixing the foundations of our country to deliver the change Labour promised. It is a budget for working people, by a government for working people.Angela Rayner is the deputy prime ministerDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.