A Year of Change: Reflections on Labour's First 12 Months in Power
An honest account of progress, challenges, and the road ahead
A week is a long time in politics, as this last week shows. While a year is an arbitrary length of time on one level, it makes sense to celebrate human birthdays to mark the beginning of something precious and then, each year, celebrate the signs of growth, maturity, and purpose. We look both backwards and forwards.
July 4th 2024 saw the arrival of something new: the first Labour government in 14 years. It's not as important as a new child, clearly, but it is something important to us all, whether or not we voted Labour, because the general election was the opportunity for our country to have a new approach focused on change, renewal and rebuilding after years of neglect.
Someone once said to me that they "don't do politics." I replied that while that may be so, "politics does you." It affects us all, so it's worth reflecting on the government's progress at its first "birthday."
The inheritance: Confronting harsh realities
We inherited a stagnant economy and public services on their knees or at breaking point. The prison service was on the verge of needing to stop taking in more prisoners, meaning the police would have to stop arresting for certain crimes.
We took difficult decisions last summer to stabilise the economy. In the autumn budget, the Chancellor raised taxes in limited ways, without increasing them for ordinary working people, in order to ensure £190 billion more for day-to-day spending, and £113 billion for long-term investment during this Parliament. This has enabled the allocation of significant resources needed to improve the public services we all rely on, with, for example, a 3% above-inflation real-terms increase in spending for the NHS each year.
Beyond the balance sheet: Bold reforms for lasting change
But it's not just about money; it's about making the long-term reforms needed to unlock our country's potential. This means challenging vested interests, fixing broken markets and being bold.
The government have therefore matched the increased spending on the NHS with closing down Europe's biggest quango – the "NHS England" organisation that duplicated the work of the Department for Health and Social Care.
We've also set out significant reforms to the planning system, published a 10-year national infrastructure plan, and released the first industrial strategy in many years. Last week, we unveiled a 10-year Plan for Health, following the biggest public consultation in the history of the NHS.
We've established GB Energy to turbocharge the green transition, which I know from talking to local businesses like GE Vernova, will create hundreds of high-skill jobs for Rugby. We're reforming the skills system, getting on with building 1.5 million more homes, and have legislated to improve the rights of renters. We've enacted the biggest uplift in employment rights in a generation and lifted the wages of millions by increasing the national minimum and living wages. We're bringing the railway companies into public ownership and giving more power to local communities over bus services. We've also brought in tough new regulations for the water companies, including criminal sanctions for bosses who don't clean up their act.
The scorecard: Promises kept and exceeded
Here are just some of our achievements since taking office:
Healthcare & Public Services:
Promised 2 million extra NHS appointments and delivered 4 million
Lowest NHS waiting lists for two years
1,900 more GPs
3,000 more local police officers
Economy & Jobs:
384,000 jobs created
Business confidence at a 9-year high
Record levels of private sector investment - £120bn
4 interest rate cuts
3 trade deals secured
Supporting Families:
Opened first 750 Free Breakfast Clubs, including at two primary schools in my constituency
Free School Meals expanded to half a million children - lifting 100,000 out of poverty
The biggest upgrade in workers' rights in a generation
Security & Environment:
Net migration is falling
Deported 30,000 people with no right to be here
The biggest boost to defence spending since the Cold War
Bonuses banned for water bosses who pollute our rivers
Britain on the world stage: Leadership that delivers
On the international level, the Prime Minister has shown true statesmanship in standing shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, building a strong relationship with President Trump, resetting our relations with our friends in the EU, and securing three trade deals in three weeks (with India, the US, and the EU). All of this matters for the people I have the privilege of representing, as it means a more confident UK, better able to trade and export as well as receive inward investment.
My first year as your MP: Learning, listening, and delivering
As your representative, I’ve spoken about several local matters in Parliament and questioned ministers on the big national and international issues. You can read my parliamentary interventions here.
At the local level, I bear no ill will to those I defeated, and pay tribute to my Conservative predecessor as Rugby's MP for all he and his team did. It's not just the first anniversary of the Labour government but also of my time as Labour MP for Rugby, Bulkington and the villages. I hope you will see from this "Year One Wrapped" video below that I have been an active and accessible constituency MP:
Any new job takes a bit of time to bed in, and that's certainly been true of being an MP. You go through this learning curve in the full glare of the House of Commons chamber's cameras and the new reality of being a public figure locally. It's a huge privilege and an enormous responsibility that I have to my constituents, and to the country. I want to use this incredible position for the maximum benefit of the community.
I think that the government too has been on a learning curve, as all new governments are. It's clearly the case that some things haven't gone quite as had been initially planned, but I know, from having been in meetings with ministers throughout the year, and having met the Prime Minister, that this is a government dedicated to improving life for as many people as possible and remains committed to taking the difficult, long-term decisions needed to fix the broken foundations we inherited, and to build a better, fairer and more prosperous country for all.
Fighting for Rugby: Local achievements that matter
As well as supporting the government's bold and positive changes that are starting to have a positive effect on people across the country and therefore in my constituency, here are a few things that I have done as a constituency MP:
Championed local success: Raised the achievements of local organisations, businesses, charities and individuals on the floor of the House of Commons with ministers, in Prime Minister's Questions or in debates.
Been accessible: Held many advice surgeries around the whole constituency to listen to people and give my perspective, whatever the issue, as well as having worked hard with my team to help many hundreds of constituents with their problems
Fought for better healthcare: Campaigned for a doctor-led urgent treatment centre at the Hospital of St Cross, including raising this issue with the Health Secretary and Prime Minister in the House of Commons and bringing campaigners, medical professionals and councillors together with local NHS leaders
Stood with residents: Campaigned for them locally and nationally in their hour of need, for example recently helping secure £850,000 investment by Severn Trent Water to fix the water pipe infrastructure in parts of Brownsover, or visiting Wolston and engaging residents and the Environment Agency over recent flooding
Empowered young voices: Held a "Pitch Your Policy" event and brought the winning policy to parliament, using young people's ideas in debates with ministers, such as on music education this last week
Backed business: Engaged with businesses large and small and business organisations, making the case for better uptake of technology such as automation, by holding a parliamentary debate on this topic
Connected with community: Carried out many visits to schools, businesses, charities and clubs throughout the constituency and used these visits to inform my activities as an MP locally and in Westminster
Worked with council colleagues on regeneration: Collaborated closely with my councillor colleagues to help on the local economy and town centre regeneration, including bringing a local government minister to Rugby for a walk around and round table
Celebrated our culture: Promoted Rugby's talent and culture, including mentioning it in parliament and bringing a DCMS minister to visit our Rugby Art Gallery and Museum
Engaged on key issues: I engaged with many organisations and charities in Parliament and locally on issues that matter for my constituents, including mental health, road safety and gambling harm
Fundraised for mental health: In April I ran the London Marathon to raise money for new local charity 'Back & Forth Men's Mental Health'
Looking ahead: Together we can do more
As I reflect on one year as an MP, and one year of the Labour government, I know that while much has been achieved, there is still a huge amount to do. We always said that the extent of the challenges we inherited would require a decade of renewal.
My mantra as a candidate was "Together We Can" and my approach to politics as an MP remains to work together in a spirit of partnership with all who want to improve our community and country. As I've written on this Substack newsletter previously, I also believe that we need a responsibility revolution, through which those in government or providing public services must take their responsibility seriously to provide a supportive and empowering ecosystem and support for the vulnerable, and also that every organisation, business and individual must also take responsibility for doing what they can both for themselves and the wider community.
My priorities for year two
My priorities for the year ahead include:
Better healthcare: Continuing to work with residents to secure better urgent care provision, including doctor-led services, from the Hospital of St Cross and to make sure that the constituency benefits from the government's new 10-Year Plan for Health
Town centre regeneration: Working closely with the borough council, businesses and other stakeholders to regenerate our town centre
Anti-loneliness campaign: I'll work with charities, businesses, public authorities and individuals to support those in our community, of all ages, who are isolated and need support and more opportunities to be involved in the community
Nationally, I'll continue to champion the interests of towns such as Rugby, so that their concerns are not overlooked and their specific needs are met. I'll continue to champion the creative arts within education and our communities. I'll also do all I can to give a voice for the younger generation and work for a shift of focus and for more resources for their interests.
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Need to contact me? Here's how:
If you are my constituent and need to raise a matter, seek assistance, or have a casework enquiry, please use the appropriate channels:
Email: john.slinger.mp@parliament.uk
Phone: 01788 227444
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