Britain has a new Prime Minister. I’m absolutely delighted it is Theresa May. In the short time I have been in Parliament she has shown the steel required of a real leader. She gets on with the job, coolly and without fuss. It’s something I saw for myself when I worked with her on the Investigatory Powers Bill – so vital for our security services here in Cheltenham.
As well as steady leadership and calm professionalism I think she will also bring unity. She was cheered to the rafters at a meeting of MPs after she returned to London on Monday, and there was a palpable sense of the nation’s blood pressure dialling down a notch. In my view it was greatly in the national interest that a further nine weeks of uncertainty were avoided.
There’s a lot for her now to focus on. She needs first of all to send out a clear message that Britain is an outward, tolerant, global-facing nation that values cultural ties with other countries. In that spirit I believe it’s vital that EU nationals who live here and contribute so much to our society are given the earliest possible reassurance as to their status in our country. They are welcome and valued.
We now need to face the coming years with positivity. Here in Cheltenham we can have a great future. As I’ve said so many times, cyber has got to be a key part of our next decade. I set out a tech vision for Cheltenham back in 2013. Three years on and that vision is becoming a reality, with exciting developments coming later this year that will help bring jobs and opportunity. Now we need to redouble our efforts, and I will be leading the charge in Parliament for more cyber investment in our town.
We need to get on too with the simple but important measures like delivering cheaper parking. We can’t afford backsliding on the Council’s pledge to end parking charges after 6pm in off-street car parks. Let’s welcome people, not scare them away.
On NHS matters, I visited the superb oncology facilities at Cheltenham General this week, and took part in a Healthwatch Gloucestershire meeting, raising the issue of devolution to Gloucestershire; I want to see us take this opportunity to use local control to better match spending priorities with local health needs.
The time has come to deliver the brightest possible future for our great country.