1. What have you learned from 2025 that you’re bringing into 2026?
That there are only 24 hours in a day yet there is a lot to fill them with. Working smarter and being willing to learn better ways of doing things is essential. In this role, you have to choose your priorities wisely and make what you do really count
2. What was your biggest highlight of the past year?
The PM doing 6/7 at a primary school! Joking aside, there have been many highlights, as the government’s efforts to turn the country round begin to bear fruit. From a political perspective, probably the biggest one is the difference we are making in healthcare, with five million more NHS appointments and funding for the prep work on rebuilding Watford hospital secured. I was immensely proud of Watford’s Electric Umbrella appearing on Britain’s Got Talent and cheering them on in the town centre when they got to the semi-final. The more light-hearted and personal highlights were dressing as the Easter Bunny and visiting children in Watford General Hospital and last month turning up as Father Christmas, again bearing chocolate goodies and fruit.
3. Come the end of this year, what will you hope to have achieved?
An empty email inbox would be ideal! That’s really for the birds and will never happen. I hope that when we reach the end of the year, the people we have helped in Watford can look back and say, “Yes, they made a positive difference.” The government has done some amazing things. I hope we will have been able to communicate it as well. If you remember, the missions we had coming into government, we have made some decent progress against all of them 18 months in.
4. What are you most excited about going into the new year?
It’s definitely seeing legislation I’ve voted for going through Parliament making a difference. The cuts in interest rates are making mortgages and rents more affordable. The investment in early years and education are helping new mums and dads as well as the children. The Renters Rights Bill will help those not on the housing ladder to be better off, and the Employment Rights Bill will see secure, well-paid work for everyone. For the first time in 30 years, train fares are being frozen this year and of course we are bringing the railways back into public ownership, as we promised.
5. What do you anticipate will be your biggest challenge?
Things are very different since Labour was last in government. Technology and everyone’s use of it have mushroomed and we have become a nation used to immediate gratification by scrolling, venting and swiping left.
Government isn’t like Amazon where the public’s wishes are a few clicks and just hours from being delivered to your door. People therefore can be frustrated by the pace of change, but it takes time to turn the country round and make improvements.
The challenge for me and others is to harness technology to improve lives and to communicate our successes amid almost a tsunami of disinformation, conspiracy theories and unworkable simplistic solutions. That’s a tough ask, but I am up for it and keeping residents properly and truthfully informed.
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