Thank you to all who voted for me and the Conservative party on 12 December. It was a most important election and many of us felt the country needs a majority government with a vision of how we move on beyond Brexit. It is now my task with colleagues to see that the government delivers its promises on lower taxes, better public services and a bold confident UK with many friends, allies and trade arrangements around the world.
I want to reassure those of you who did not vote for me that I fully understand your concerns about the need to tackle poverty, ill health and disadvantage. We do not disagree about the aims though we may sometimes have different views on how we make progress to a shared goal. I also strongly believe we can be better off as we leave the EU and have set out detailed economic and business policies we can follow to ensure that happens. I hope the government will be listening. It has already accepted my view that the aim of policy should be the promotion of prosperity, not the reduction of debt as a percentage of GDP. It is time to spend a bit more sensibly, without irresponsible spending putting us back into another financial crisis.
I have a long list of tasks to do for the local area where government is involved. I was working on them when the election interrupted, and have fresh endorsement of the priorities form my many doorstep and social media conversations of recent weeks. Education money, social care expansion, congestion busting, greening the Borough, curbing development in a future local plan and priority for vocational training are all on my list. I will enter the new Parliament full of energy and enthusiasm to help bring about that more prosperous, greener, well serviced Wokingham and West Berkshire which many of us want. I will go in the knowledge that many of you are willing me on to succeed, and in the spirit that I am here to serve all constituents, however they voted.
I will keep you informed by daily articles on www.johnredwoodsdiary.com and will continue to provide a prompt reply service to your emails and problems,
With every good wish for Christmas and 2020.
Rt Hon John Redwood MP
