As every week passes, ever more evidence of the governments failing economic plan emerges.  The Office for National Statistics revealed a 3.5 per cent fall in average incomes while chief executives and directors unbelievably enjoyed a 15 per cent increase in median earnings this year alone. Meanwhile, youth unemployment passed a million last week showing the brutal price our young people are paying for the government’s failed choices on the economy. Long term youth unemployment has risen 77 per cent since the government scrapped the Future Jobs Fund in March. Britain has not confronted youth unemployment on this scale since records began.

But as the crisis in unemployment worsens, living standards deteriorate further and the economy continues to flatline, the prime minster offers nothing but more excuses. Last year it was the snow, this year it’s been the royal wedding, civil servants, trade unions, and employment rights, and now it’s the Eurozone.

As I said in the chamber, the prime minister is like an Eton schoolboy who, facing rustication from his headmaster, will say anything and blame anyone rather than take responsibility for the consequences of his own actions.

I called on the Leader of the House to admit that the government’s economic policy is not working and urged the chancellor to announce an economic rethink that puts jobs first in next week’s autumn statement.

The colossal failure of the government’s housing strategy was revealed this week but, following a rushed out PR blitz by ministers on Monday, you would be forgiven for thinking it was huge success. The PR came the day before official figures showed a complete collapse of housing starts across Britain from 32,000 to just 454. In my own region of the north-west, not one single start was made. Monday’s cynical choreography was clearly designed to bury bad news. In the commons, I called for a proper debate on the worsening housing crisis now that the full facts of the government’s failure have been revealed.

The issue of lobbying has been in the spotlight again this week, following disturbing reports that ministers’ spouses and partners will remain free to lobby the government for private companies under any new rules. In opposition the prime minister said that lobbying was the next big scandal waiting to happen but after 18 months and the loss of a cabinet minister there is still no sign of the promised register of lobbying interests. It was also revealed this week that a serving Conservative peer and ex chief whip has also been appointed UK representative for the Cayman Islands in order to oppose any further regulation of offshore tax havens.

At business questions on Thursday, I asked the Leader of the House to explain when the government proposes to address the increasingly urgent need for tough regulation in this area.

Finally, the funeral of Alan Keen took place this week. I paid my own tribute to Alan in the House.  He was a dedicated champion of his constituents. Many of us have happy memories of Alan especially the tea room football banter. My thoughts go out to his wife Ann and the family at this difficult time.

Angela Eagle is MP for Wallasey and shadow leader of the Commons