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Rachel Reeves interview; ENGLAND: Greater Manchester: Leigh: Westleigh Methodist Primary School: INT Rachel Reeves MP (Chancellor) interview SOT. (part 4 of 4) Q - Why not bring back Sure Start Centres? They were very popular, they got closed down. There was massive outcry amongst local communities when those things disappeared. They had massive impact. Why not just bring back what you know already works? A - So the education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, announced just last week more investment in the scheme for the best start in life, a drawing on some of those amazing things that Sure Start and children centres do because we want to make sure that more children are ready for primary school when they start there. And that's very important because I know from talking to teachers, to nursery staff, that there are children who are arriving in reception and aged four and five who are not ready for school. They are not properly toilet trained. They are not able to eat with a knife and fork, they're not able to do the basics in terms of learning. And I want more children to be ready for school so that they can get the most out of school and all the opportunities that come with it. And that's why we're putting more investment into the best start in life. And because of the decisions that I made in the budget last year, which did involve higher taxes on some of the wealthiest and higher taxes on business, we were able to put 29 billion pounds extra a year into the NHS and also record funding into our schools because I do passionately believe that everybody, from whatever background they come from, should have a good start in life. That is good for them and their families and their opportunities. But it's also good for our whole country, for wider society and for the economy to make sure that everybody has a chance to fulfil their potential and that is what this investment does.