Although we didn’t have local elections in Cumbria last week I fully understand that, had we gone to the polls, voters here would have sent us the same clear message about the Government’s performance.
From the conversations I have every day, I know that people are not satisfied with the pace of change since the last election. I share that frustration. No one is more impatient than I am to turn around the damage that 14 years of underinvestment has done to our communities.
I also recognise that there have been too many individual policy missteps. From the thresholds for farm inheritance tax, to winter fuel payments, and the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as Ambassador to the United States. We can, and must, do better.
That said, I believe we are starting to see green shoots and that the direction of travel is the right one. Without media fanfare, we recently quietly regained our position as the 5th largest economy in the world. What people rightly expect now is that we go further and faster.
Here in our area, I have been proud to help secure significant Government investment: £220 million for the Barrow Transformation Fund, £22 million a year in additional funding for our hospital trust, £20m Pride in Place funding, £7m neighbourhood health funding, and £40 million for flood defences in Millom. These are real investments, beginning to deliver the improvements people want to see locally.
As we reached the end of this Labour Government’s first parliamentary session, I was also proud of the legislative progress we have made to rebuild our country and protect working people in an increasingly uncertain world.
We have delivered major, long-term reforms, including the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation; the creation of Great British Rail to improve services and keep fares affordable; and the Renters’ Rights Act, giving tenants greater security by ending no-fault evictions and strengthening protections.
We have lifted thousands of local children out of poverty and given greater security to working families. The Water Act which is an issue close to my own heart has begun restoring environmental standards and accountability in the water industry after years of decline. And the Crime and Policing Bill is equipping police with stronger powers to tackle anti-social behaviour, retail crime, and violence against women and girls.
These are important steps that will help build a better future for Barrow and Furness.
At the 2024 election, people voted for change and many are yet to feel, and, in light of last week’s election results, it is clear we must go further and faster to deliver the change people want to see.
I am therefore looking ahead to the King’s Speech on Wednesday, where the Government will set out its agenda for the next parliamentary session. I have been pushing for action on energy security, using our depleted gas fields for gas storage and decoupling electricity prices from oil prices to bring down bills.
I am also hoping to see a Skills and Post-16 Education Bill. I have been urging reform of the Apprenticeship Levy, and the proposed transition to a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy would help expand opportunities for young people across our area.
Improving the NHS remains a central priority. I hope the King’s Speech will include legislation to create a health service fit for the future, building on the progress already made in reducing waiting times.
The frustration people are feeling is understandable. Rebuilding our country is a huge task, and one we must get on with to deliver the change we promised.
And that is exactly what I am doing: rolling up my sleeves and getting on with the job.