Lest any of you ever forget what I’ve done for Britain...
Following his dramatic eviction from power, Boris Johnson submitted a 2,500-word statement to Parliament last Thursday to remind the world of his Government’s list of achievements. Here’s what he included:
BREXIT
Britain out of the EU. Major new trade deals signed with Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
Wasteful and bureaucratic EU schemes reformed to benefit Britain’s farming and fishing communities.
COST-OF-LIVING HELP
A £37 billion package to help the most vulnerable eight million households, with support worth £1,200. Every household will get £400 towards energy costs. Most will get a £150 council-tax rebate.
MIGRATION
A points-based immigration system to give Britain control over our borders. A partnership struck with Rwanda in response to illegal migration, breaking the business model of peoplesmuggling gangs.
COVID
A huge testing regime, with more than two billion lateral flow tests distributed. At its peak, more than seven million tests were delivered to British households every 24 hours.
The UK becoming the first country in the world to administer a vaccine outside of clinical trials and the fastest in Europe to roll them out at scale. More than 70 per cent of the population aged 12 or above received at least one dose within the first six months, and the total number of jabs is now more than 150 million.
NHS
More doctors and around 30,000 more nurses than in March 2019.
Another 18,000 primary care staff, such as physiotherapists and pharmacists, recruited.
The start of Britain’s biggest hospital-building programme for a generation.
The cruel lottery of social care costs ended, with a plan that means no one will pay more than £86,000 over their lifetime.
EDUCATION
More than 80,000 UK teachers benefiting from additional training and support. Starting salaries brought up to £30,000.
School standards driven up, with 87 per cent of schools now being rated either Good or Outstanding – an increase from 68 per cent in 2010.
ECONOMY
The fastest economic growth in the G7 last year.
Across the country, 101 Towns Deals awarded to address high deprivation levels. Attracting more venture capital investment in tech start-ups in
2022 than in any country apart from the US, putting us ahead of China, Japan and Germany.
LOW PAY
The National Living Wage increased by the largest ever cash amount.
HOUSING
Around 400,000 first-time housebuyers last year, marking the highest number since 2006.
CRIME
An additional 13,500 police officers recruited; 50,000 knives and offensive weapons taken off the streets. More than 1,500 county-lines drugs gangs broken up.
The law changed to ensure serious violent and sexual criminals spend more time behind bars.
TRANSPORT
A five-year, £600 billion pipeline of infrastructure projects developed to drive economic growth, including a £96 billion investment for building three new high-speed lines and reopening lines to industrial and country towns cut off under Beeching railway closures.
£5 billion committed to boost buses and cycling.
ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Accelerated deployment of nuclear, solar, wind and hydrogen power.
Under the Green Industrial Revolution, the net-zero agenda yielding
£22 billion in private-sector investment and creating 68,000 clean jobs.
Britain marshalling nearly 200 countries at COP26 to treble global net-zero agreements so they now cover 90 per cent of the world economy.
Committing the UK to reach net zero by 2050.
AFGHANISTAN
More than 15,000 people evacuated from Afghanistan in just 16 days.
UKRAINE
Britain bringing the G7 and Nato together to support the Ukrainian people. Military, humanitarian and economic assistance to Ukraine totalling nearly £4 billion – more than any other country except the US. This includes 11 million medical items, 856 mobile generators and 20 ambulances.