There’s a flurry of lists and articles about what Labour has achieved since being elected in the news at the moment – but there’s a difference between a policy announcement and actual delivery. We need to deliver.
The first big achievement is that while the government may not be perfect, it is a united, sensible group of people working together in the best interests of the majority. After the years of chaos, I do not think we should underestimate the importance of having a stable, focused government.
They have put in place measures which will make a lot of people better off. The increases in the living wage are significant (more than 2000 people in Stroud will benefit from this directly), and the impact of the changes in housing policy, the creation of Great British Energy will begin to be felt in the next few months. The economy will feel the benefits in due course.
Sorting out the industrial dispute within the NHS has meant that doctors, nurses and health professionals are better able to deliver the standards of service that were destroyed under the last government. The new 24/7 NHS 111 mental health service is helping people in crisis right now.
Back in July the effective ban on onshore windfarms was lifted. In Stroud we have campaigned for a ban on neonicotinoids, scrapping the deadline for footpath registration and support for community ownership initiatives. They are all now reality (Stroud received £300K from the community ownership fund, but we still need more).
There is also an extra £8m for buses in Gloucestershire, and the legislation is currently in Parliament to re-nationalise the railways.
The role out of breakfast clubs in schools has started and there is an extra £2bn committed to developing early years education.
The next few months will see everyone beginning to benefit from plans to reform the NHS and rebuild our education system. The Employments Rights Bill will significantly improve workers’ rights, and I’m genuinely excited about the Better Buses Bill that is currently going through Parliament.
In 2025 we will begin to see more of the significant changes that Labour were elected to deliver. I’m looking forward to it.
