This column appeared in the Friday 12th January 2024 edition of the South London Press.

2023 has been a difficult year for many people across the country. From the public service workers locked in a pay dispute with the Government to those who have been struggling with the impact of the cost of living crisis, it has not been the return to normality we all craved for after the Covid-19 pandemic. At times, it has felt like we have lurched from crisis to crisis, while the Government have faced scandal after scandal and been embroiled in internal party-political spats.

I wish we could leave that all behind in 2023, but the reality is that many of these problems will persist into 2024. However, we can start to make the necessary changes to get our country back on track. With 2024 being an election year, that means it can also be a year of fresh starts.

I am hoping that 2024 is a year which delivers real change; not just with a Labour government winning the next general election, but a change in the direction of our country, a change in how we do politics, and most importantly, a change for people across the UK who want to feel hopeful about their future again.

In Keir’s speech at the start of January, he promised a government of service and respect which ‘treads a little lighter on all of our lives’. After the chaos and division of the last few years, I know that many people feel the problems facing the country seem impossible to resolve. With the NHS on its knees, crumbling schools, a critical lack of affordable housing and ongoing strike action, it can sometimes seem like the country just doesn’t function properly anymore. However, while the scale of the challenge facing us is considerable, that does not mean that it is insurmountable.

We must have a message of hope as we enter 2024. Regardless of when the election happens, Labour will be ready to campaign for real change. We want to achieve net zero by 2030 to make the UK a global green-energy superpower; we want to build 1.5 million new homes so the dream of homeownership for young people can be a reality; we want to save our NHS and keep it in public hands so that everyone can have access to healthcare; we want to get the economy growing so everyone is financially better off; and we want to take power out of Westminster and put it back into the hands of local communities.

We are coming into 14 years of Conservative government. It’s time for a change, so let’s make this new year a new start for our country. Here’s to a happy 2024.