These are tough times and under this Tory-led government many people in Manchester are suffering and getting left behind. If elected I will use all my energy skills experience and knowledge to stand up for our communities and get things done for the better.

As with real reading the ability to comprehend subtlety and complexity comes only with time and a lot of experience. If you don't adequately acquire those skills moving out into the real world of real people can actually become quite scary.

Skill is the unified force of experience intellect and passion in their operation.

Where the private sector or anyone else has skills knowledge and resources that can help to deliver a high quality of education and to raise standards we should use them.

Vocational education programs have made a real difference in the lives of countless young people nationwide they build self-confidence and leadership skills by allowing students to utilize their unique gifts and talents.

You cannot blame the mismanagement of the economy or the fact that we have not invested adequately in education in order to give our people the knowledge the skills and the technology that they need in order to be able to use the resources that Africa has to gain wealth.

Studies have shown that inmate participation in education vocational and job training prison work skills development drug abuse mental health and other treatment programs all reduce recidivism significantly.

An arts education helps build academic skills and increase academic performance while also providing alternative opportunities to reward the skills of children who learn differently.

We need to drive down requirements for the schools. In the 19th century we increased the quality of the schools by higher education saying 'You can't come in unless you have these skills unless you've taken these courses.' We did that in Wisconsin when I was there it helped to transform the secondary school system.

My hope was that organizations would start including this range of skills in their training programs - in other words offer an adult education in social and emotional intelligence.