Climate change and leaving the EU seemed to be the biggest and toughest tasks the new
Conservative Government faced following the 2019 general election. Both issues present
huge challenges and, together with usual business, complex and demanding work was
required demanding urgent action to ensure successful and sustainable outcomes.
Our government has ambitious plans and ground-breaking work is underway with the 'Net
Zero strategy to Build Back Greener', maximising the potential of 'Brexit' by increasing
worldwide trade deals, and utilising the skills and talents of everyone in the UK.
Then the Covid-19 global pandemic gripped the Nation and dominated our lives and the
headlines. In the media it seemed that there was almost a competition country against
country to establish a winner for the fight against this dreadful virus. In reality, everyone has
been doing their very best to keep people safe and try to contain an unexpected disease for
which there was no rule book. It is an infection that has adapted and spread and I am
grateful that experts in this field have been so brilliant, with the UK among world leaders, in
providing the science and the knowledge to help us through.
Now as we look ahead into 2022, I am feeling more optimistic. Whilst sadly many lives have
been lost to the Covid-19 pandemic, devastating countless families, many more have been
saved by the government’s ground-breaking vaccination programme, the hard work of the
NHS, and the fantastic efforts of hundreds of volunteers. Plus of course, the support of
communities, businesses and individuals in adapting and doing what is needed to fight the
virus. Eventually I hope these efforts will be the route that will take us back to some sort of
normality.
So it has been a tough time to be in government and it is more important than ever that we
get behind the Conservative Party and unite the country in 'Building Back Better' and in
maximising the advantages that we have in focussing on these unprecedented challenges.
