With all the excitement that followed the Prime Minister’s announcement of a general election to be held on June 8 it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. But amongst all the news reports and political speeches, it’s worth taking a moment to step back and think about what a remarkable thing we are doing.
We live in a world where brutal and unjust dictatorships stifle the liberty of almost half the planet’s population. Yet here in Britain we will spend the next six weeks speaking out about our views, casting our ballots, and (in some cases) running for elected office without ever once fearing violence or oppression.
I know our politics can sometimes seem frustrating, and we should never stop trying to improve it. But we should also never forget that, in the grand sweep of history, our democracy is a remarkable anomaly, and one of which we should all be fiercely proud.
With two years of EU negotiations ahead of us, the UK faces one of the most challenging and important periods in our modern history. The coming election will ensure we face that challenge with a government that hopefully has a strong majority in Parliament and the support of the country behind it so that the new Prime Minister can make the best possible deal for Britain.
Whether that Prime Minister is Theresa May or Jeremy Corbyn will be for our community and the nation’s 649 other constituencies to decide together. But, whoever wins, I know that they will have the best wishes of every one of us behind them. Because what makes our country so strong is that – whether you vote blue, red, yellow, purple, or green – in the end, we’re all on the same team and we all want Britain to succeed.
And, I must say, there are few better reminders of how strong and united British communities are than a sunny Easter weekend in Yorkshire.
I attended my local church in Kirby Sigston for the Easter service on Sunday, meeting up with neighbours and friends. St Lawrence’s is off the beaten track but very beautiful with parts of the fabric dating from the 13th century.
On Monday, we had a family outing to the Middleham Open Day, a wonderful celebration of our local racing industry which makes such a major contribution to the Dales economy. We called in to a number of the yards and stables, including the Bethells at Thorngill, and it was fascinating to watch horses working out in the equine swimming pool at Mark Johnston’s Kingsley House stables.
The visit gave me a chance to speak to people on the ground about the work I have been doing in Parliament to make sure offshore bookmakers also contribute appropriately to our racing industry so it gets the funds it needs – a change I’m pleased to say recently became law and should help protect the revenue of UK horse racing.
The event was superbly organised by the Racing Welfare Trust in aid of the industry’s workforce and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Service was also a beneficiary.
I also managed to squeeze in a walk in beautiful upper Swaledale with my daughters. We called in to see our friends Doreen and Ernest Whitehead in Keld and were fortified by Doreen’s excellent chocolate cake. After a long walk that cake tasted like the best in Yorkshire.