Labour’s shadow secretary of state for work and pensions Rachel Reeves visited Rotherhithe on Monday as the general election campaign got under way.

She met Linda and Jan on the Canada Estate to learn how they have been affected by the so-called bedroom tax (described by the Government as the removal of the ‘spare room subsidy’).

Rachel also met representatives of Southwark Foodbank (run by Pecan) and Southwark Citizens Advice Bureaux.

Neil Coyle – Labour’s candidate in Bermondsey & Old Southwark – said: “We have a Lib Dem MP who voted for the bedroom tax eight times and has said he’s happy to have worked for the Tories in the coalition.

“The bedroom tax has hit thousands of people like Linda and only Labour is committed to abolishing it if we win the election on 7 May.”