Back brilliant Britain and we'll all get stronger in 2023' says defiant Rishi Sunak

Back brilliant Britain and we'll all get stronger in 2023' says defiant Rishi SunakShow more

Rishi Sunak has promised "better times ahead" as he revealed a New Year's masterplan to kickstart Britain's recovery.

The Prime Minister insisted the Government was “working flat out to provide peace of mind” to the nation after a horrendous 12 months marred by war, inflation and political turmoil.

But in a message to mark the start of 2023, Mr Sunak said, “I know we will get through these winter days” and pledged to “build a better future” for generations to come.

With waiting lists hitting a record-breaking seven million, he said the NHS is the “first priority for many people up and down the country”.

Writing in today’s Sunday Express, he said there is “every reason to believe we will emerge stronger” from a year of upheaval.

And in a separate video message, Mr Sunak said he wanted to bring a sense of “fairness” to modern Britain, and was optimistic about the future.

He added: “I know it’s been tough but I’m really confident that better times lie ahead. I may have only had the job for several weeks but actually I feel good about the future.

“I feel positive about the change that we can bring so we can improve people’s lives, so we can deliver the peace of mind people are looking for in the here and now – whether it’s around energy bills or making sure that backlogs in the NHS are reduced, but also that we can build a better future for our future for our kids and grandkids.”

The PM’s words come as Conservatives face a crisis in the opinion polls ahead of a general election expected next year, with one putting the Tories on just 19 percent – 26 points behind Labour.
Signalling that voters can expect bold action in the coming months, Mr Sunak:

Insisted he has “got a plan to get borrowing and debt under control”;

Said the Government is looking at ways to “protect the public and minimise the disruption and anguish caused by strikes”;

Vowed he “will not rest until every child is given the opportunity of a world-class education”;

Said it was unfair to “subsidise” people who come to the UK illegally;

And promised to stand by Ukraine for “as long as it takes”.

Describing his confidence the British people will rise to this year’s challenges, he said: “Every day, people are working to make lives better, striving for their families, and putting other people first.

That’s why I know we will get through these winter days. That’s why I know better times lie ahead.”

Mr Sunak’s hopes for the next 12 months have been echoed by Boris Johnson.

The former Prime Minister said yesterday: “I want to tell you why I am looking forward to 2023 and why I am confident that things will get better

“Our post-Covid, post-pandemic UK will finally start to take advantage of all our new freedoms, lengthening our lead as the best place on Earth to invest, to start a business, raise a family or to just hang out in the pub which is what I propose to do this New Year’s Eve.”

But senior Tory MPs have warned that the Government must deliver improvements in the next “crucial” six months to stand a chance of staying in power.

Brendan Clarke-Smith, who in 2019 became the first Conservative in more than a century to win the “Red Wall” seat of Bassetlaw, Notts, warned the issue of people arriving illegally in small boats was now an “existential threat to many of us” and said the public wanted results.

Polling for the influential Policy Exchange think tank lays bare the scale of pressure the Government is now under to tackle the cost of living crisis and bring down NHS waiting lists.

The research exposes key weaknesses the Government will have to address ahead of the election.

Seventy-three percent of people disagreed the Government has a “clear sense of purpose”. Only 22 percent said the Government is “willing to take tough decisions for the long term”.