Boris Johnson: Only the Conservatives can deliver the recovery Britain needs and deserves
3 min read
Two years ago in Manchester was the last time we were able to come together face-to-face, over a warm wine or two, at Conservative Party Conference. Back then, I was telling a packed auditorium how we would Get Brexit Done. And we did.
Two years ago, many people were saying we would never get a withdrawal agreement over the line with the EU. But we did. Those same doomsayers also said we could never negotiate a free trade agreement with the EU within a year. But again, we did.
And just as similarly, when this pandemic hit, the doubters, often to be found on the Labour front bench, claimed being outside the European Medicines Agency would mean the UK would fall behind when it came to vaccinating our country.
But as Conservatives do time and again, we rolled up our sleeves, cracked heads together and in fact delivered the fastest vaccine rollout programme anywhere in Europe, as well as one of the most generous packages of economic support anywhere in the world.
Coronavirus is the biggest challenge the UK has faced in living memory.
But thanks to the resolve of the British people, the incredible care of the NHS and our heroic frontline workers, our cautious roadmap, and the remarkable vaccine programme, we are able to be one of the most open countries in the world. People can see their families and friends again, and businesses and employees can return to work.
Because of the action we have taken, the United Kingdom is now seeing a strong recovery.
I am keen to look to the future with optimism.
Coronavirus is still with us and we cannot be complacent.
But because of the unprecedented action we took to protect the livelihoods of more than 14.5 million people across the United Kingdom, we are now seeing the fastest growth in the G7, unemployment falling and wages rising.
We have a clear plan to bust the backlogs in the NHS, and this is on top of the largest ever cash boost to the NHS. With our national tutoring programme and school support, we will also recover all lost learning for young people who have been hard hit.
As we recover and rebuild from the impact of the pandemic we also must seize the opportunity to fix the long-standing problems that exist in this country.
That means taking action on the difficult decisions that have stumped politicians for too long – delivering a plan to fund social care, driving a green industrial revolution to tackle climate change and create high skilled, high wage jobs.
We should be proud of what we have all achieved together to get through an unprecedented 18 months. And I am keen to look to the future with optimism.
There is much more to do to build back stronger and better from this pandemic, which is why my government is getting on with delivering 50,000 more nurses and 20,000 more police officers; delivering a new points-based immigration system that takes back control of our borders; making our streets safer with tougher sentencing; transforming communities across this country with the biggest investment in transport and digital infrastructure in a generation; funding social care on a sustainable footing and boosting British business with new free trade agreements and freeports.
As we recover from the pandemic, it is only the Conservative Party that is getting on with the job, taking action to deliver on the people’s priorities to build back better.
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