A year ago today I stood on the steps of 10 Downing Street as Prime Minister of this great United Kingdom for the first time, and set out my vision for how we would unite and level up across the country.
In the face of unprecedented challenges, we can be proud of what we have achieved together in that time. I wanted to write to you to update you on the progress we have made in delivering on our promises to the British people.
Not only did we get Brexit done and leave the European Union, but we also delivered on our domestic agenda:
We have kept our promises on NHS funding – delivering the biggest ever cash boost for the NHS and enshrining it into law.
We have kept our promise for more frontline NHS investment – recruiting 13,500 more nurses and over 7,800 more doctors in the past year, with 40 new hospitals and upgrades to 20 more, and £200 million for new cancer screen machines.
We have kept our promise on more police officers – recruiting 4,000 more police officers since last year, meaning we are on track to deliver 20,000 more officers overall – and we are backing them with more powers, protection and equipment.
We have kept our promise on schools funding – increasing funding for every child, with £14.4 billion over three years and set out a £1 billion rebuilding programme to transform schools in every region of the country.
We have kept our promise to boost local transport connections – confirming a revolution in local transport, backed by £5 billion to improve bus and cycle lines. We have started reversing the Beeching cuts and announced funding to fix 50 million potholes.
We have kept our promise to help those who need it most – giving the lowest paid a pay rise by providing the largest ever cash increase in the National Living Wage, and giving inflation-busting pay rises to teachers, prison officers, doctors and other vital public sector workers.
In that speech on the steps of Downing Street, I also pledged to be a Prime Minister for every corner of the United Kingdom. The last six months have shown why the historic and heartfelt bond that ties our country together is so important – and we will keep on delivering for every part of the United Kingdom.
We have only been able to do all this thanks to your hard work, and the efforts of millions of working people across the country. This is what a One Nation Conservative government can achieve when it is ambitious about unleashing Britain’s potential.
It has been a year of extraordinary and unprecedented challenges. And we know there are challenges that lie ahead.
We will not be blown off course. We have a Plan for Jobs which, building on the £160 billion support we have provided so far, will help to support, protect and create jobs as we recover from the coronavirus pandemic.
The people of the United Kingdom put their trust in us to unite, level up and unleash Britain’s potential. We can be proud of what we have achieved in the last year but there is much more to do – so let’s get on with doing it together.
Best wishes,
The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP