Jon Cruddas is MP for Dagenham, Rainham, South Hornchurch and Elm Park. During his time as deputy political secretary to Tony Blair, he helped introduce the minimum wage, and played a key role in improving a number of socio-economic issues in the UK. He’s also been hugely involved in trade union reforms and improving workers’ rights. Jon comes from a large family who benefited from being socially mobile, and believes the lack of social mobility has actually become worse over time, and says we're going backwards when it comes to access, life chances, and routes to equality. In this open and frank discussion, Jon delves into his own life and the road to becoming an MP, explores the problems caused by a lack of access for some to higher education, and shares his hopes for a national living wage and fairer tax justice.

Your host is Tunde Banjoko OBE, founder of Making The Leap.