May I wish you all a Happy New Year and a huge thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to contribute to the success of my constituency in 2013.
Reading East is a stronger place both economically and socially as a result of your efforts. Businesses, charities, community groups and individuals have stepped up to the mark as a good example of the Big Society at work.
The turn in the economy has been crucial to our town and country’s future prospects. It has been a hard road over the past three years; getting out of Labour’s worst recession for 100 years has been tough. We inherited a position where national income had shrunk by 7% - a loss of £3,000 to every UK household. Nothing short of a national disaster.
Picking up the pieces wasn’t easy and the Chancellor had to hold his nerve as Labour argued as fiercely as ever for more borrowing, spending and debt. That was never the answer and we have been proved right.
We made cuts to enable the country to live within its means again. This year the deficit will be down by 50%, but we are still borrowing and must still grow the economy and cut what we cannot afford. Reforming welfare remains a big priority, as it was throughout 2013. It is incredible how unemployment fell so rapidly and people who previously struggled to find work are now employed. We now have the lowest number of workless households on record, the most people ever employed (over 30m), disabled and 18-24s getting work in increasing numbers and have helped create 1.5m new apprenticeships for young people.
Equally important in 2013 were reforms to help the police cut crime significantly, reforming the NHS by putting patients first and ensuring tragedies like mid-Staffs are not repeated, putting Labour’s ‘open door’ policy right by cutting immigration by more than a third. We have cut income tax and frozen fuel duty and are also the only party that will deliver an EU referendum in 2017!
Labour opposes all this, without ever producing policy alternatives for living within our means. Unlike them, we have a long-term plan to create wealth, grow the economy, make families better off and ensure we compete across the world.
My 2014 prediction is that things will continue to turn around and my constituents will feel the benefit, but the job is far from finished. There is still massive danger if we go back to Labour’s borrow, spend, debt cycle. Join the fight locally to make sure we do not.