The decision to limit the damage of President Trump’s revolution in American policy has resulted in a major trade deal, which will be important to our growth long after Trump ceases to be President.
I was horrified by the President’s treatment of our brave ally, Ukraine but it seems that the administration has heeded our Prime Minister and others and is walking back on the rhetoric that Ukraine rather than Putin is responsible for the despicable war against Ukraine.
We are rightly committed to increasing defence spending so we can deter Russian aggression in close co-operation with our European allies. Greater self-sufficiency in rebuilding our military forces will also spark hot spots of well paid jobs around the country.
We have, as we promised in our manifesto, pledged in detail to halt irregular migration via the small boats. We are as a people generous to those with legitimate claims to asylum. But those who are really economic migrants are rightly being deported.
Many irregular migrants come from Iraqi Kurdistan where we are working with its authorities to tackle the profiteering gangs based there. The authorities there don’t want to lose their citizens in a brain-drain.
The welfare bill is rising fast and if it is not reined in will consume a large share of public spending in the years ahead.
Reforming welfare is right in principle but, as is often the case, the devil is in the detail. Labour MPs, including myself, have made representations to ministers to constructively soften the hard edges of these reforms.
We respect the intentions of ministers but also need to respect the views of many of our voters who worry about needless hardships. I am hopeful that we can achieve a satisfactory conclusion