Boris got the big calls right on Brexit, Covid, trade and the economy

IT wasn’t long ago when Britain was trapped in a state of agonising, Brexit-induced paralysis.

It was a period of great national shame, defined by bitter parliamentary trench warfare that left our country on a downward spiral with the very real threat of a second EU referendum.

In order to smash through the gridlock and restore people’s confidence in politics, we backed Boris to get Brexit done and focus on the people’s priorities.

Even facing an unprecedented global pandemic, our Prime

Minister has got the big calls right over the past two years.

We have had the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe thanks to his bold insistence that we walk away from the sluggish EU vaccine procurement scheme.

Instead, the PM pushed ahead with our own Vaccine Taskforce, which worked at incredible speed to ensure the UK was the first country in the western world to administer a safe, effective vaccine.

To this day, Captain Sir Keir Hindsight still cannot bring himself to admit this life-saving decision was the right one for Britain.

And because the PM resisted calls for restrictions over Christmas, we now have the most open society and economy in Europe.

Wages are up, unemployment is down. Redundancies are at record lows and the UK is set to have the fastest growing economy in the G7 this year and next.

More employees are on the payroll today than before the pandemic because the PM and Chancellor made quick choices, and put in place a mammoth £400billion economic support package.

Wages are up because the PM held firm on our commitment to build a high-wage, high-skill economy – rather than giving in to Labour calls to reach for the lever of unskilled immigration from Europe.

GDP is back at pre-pandemic levels because the PM made the right call and re-opened England’s economy last July – which was opposed by Labour at the time.

Now we are emerging ahead from the pandemic, the PM and the government he leads is getting on with delivering the manifesto that won the Conservative Party the biggest majority in a generation.

We got Brexit done, bringing in our points-based immigration system, opening Freeports, and striking free trade deals with old friends and new allies.

We are pushing ahead with new nuclear to ensure greater energy independence, while facing down Labour’s calls to shut off North Sea gas production which would leave us more dependent on imports.

We have delivered the biggest upgrade to Britain’s investment screening regime in two decades to oppose hostile foreign takeovers.

We have freed ourselves from bureaucratic EU state aid laws so we can back new British industries.

We are pushing ahead with the largest investment in our nation’s defence since the Coldwar ended.

The PM has delivered a historic funding boost for the NHS – with record numbers of doctors and nurses, funding to bust the backlogs and 40 new hospitals on the way.

We are ploughing £96billion into our railways to deliver punctual, reliable and faster trains across the North and Midlands.

We are also delivering on our solemn mission to level up opportunity across the country, targeting funding to areas that need investment the most.

All of this is underpinned by the PM’S pro-business instinct to back our innovators and wealth creators because it is their willingness to take risks that is crucial for our success.

Unlike the Labour Party, we Conservatives understand that a strong, competitive, free-market economy generates jobs, growth and the revenue to fund fantastic public services.

The confidence, certainty and stability the PM provided through the trade agreement he negotiated with the EU is delivering.

Investors are now lining up to inject fresh capital into our economy to supercharge our recovery.

Britishvolt has just announced a £1.8billion gigafactory in Blyth.

Rolls-royce is developing mininuclear power stations, designed and manufactured in the UK.

Nissan is backing its Sunderland site with a new £1billion gigafactory.

Bentley has just unveiled a £2.5billion investment in Crewe to build electric cars. Energy giant Royal Dutch Shell is moving its global headquarters to the UK.

The Square Mile is outperforming other major financial hubs, including New York, Singapore and Paris, despite predictions that banks would leave in droves after Brexit.

Critics said such business confidence and investment would not be possible after a vote to leave the EU. Scaremongers in the Labour Party said companies would leave the UK. None of that came to pass.

While Labour flirted with a second referendum, Boris put his faith in Britain and delivered what the people voted for.

Now we need to get on with the job and continue to deliver for the whole country.

‘We need to get

on with the job’