The shadow education secretary said she ‘cant wait to see IDS booted out of parliament' while campaigning in Chingford and Woodford Green

Labour’s Angela Rayner was in the constituency last weekend to boost Faiza Shaheen’s bid to defeat Tory incumbent Iain Duncan Smith.

The constituency has just three parliamentary candidates, following the Green Party's decision to stand down to help Labour defeat the Conservatives; Shaheen and Duncan Smith are contested by the Liberal Democrat candidate Geoff Seeff.

The former Tory leader has held the seat since 1992 but in 2017 his majority was slashed from 8,386 to 2,438. That same year the Green Party secured 1,204 votes.

The constituency, which voted remain with 50.12 per cent of the vote share, is expected to be closely contested.

Faiza Shaheen described the upcoming December 12 general election as the most “important of our lifetime” and pledged to put education at the forefront of her priorities.

Angela Rayner said Chingford and Woodford Green had been “neglected for far too long” and called for investment in high streets and protection of schools against academisation.

She added: “Iain Duncan Smith is responsible for some of the most brutal cuts to those in most need, whether that’s the pernicious cuts to PIP, the bedroom tax or the draconian sanctions regime he imposed as a minister.

“I can’t wait to see him booted out of parliament. Faiza would make an incredible MP and I look forward to her joining us in Westminster.”

Faiza Shaheen said: "We know that real and vital societal transformation we need can only be achieved through a Labour government. We cannot allow another five years of shambolic and toxic Tory rule.

Iain Duncan Smith responded by blasting Tony Blair’s Labour government for its management of finances.

He said: “When the coalition government took office in 2010, Liam Byrne's, former chief secretary to the treasury under Labour, note to his successor was there's no money left.

“Labour left office in 2010 with the country’s finances in a mess and high unemployment, a Corbyn led government would wreak havoc on our economy.

“As The IFS director, Paul Johnson stated yesterday regarding the Labour Manifesto, ‘this would be the biggest set of spending increases, and the biggest set of tax increases, and the biggest set of borrowing increases we've seen in peacetime history’”