Justin Takes A Look Back At 2015

2015 has certainly been a whirlwind year. It kick-started with the General Election campaign which saw a tempestuous few months as David Cameron and Ed Miliband fought for the keys to Number 10.

Of course the campaign culminated in early May where I was ecstatic to be re-elected with a 11,786 majority. It had been a long and arduous time for both myself and my fantastic campaign team, but we were completely overwhelmed by the kind support we received from local residents. I was incredibly proud to be given the opportunity to continue to represent my fellow local residents and I stick by my promise that nobody will work harder than me to champion our town as we head into the new year.

The Election result was good news for the country too as the Conservatives were given a clear mandate to continue to implement their economic plan which has now seen record growth and record numbers of people back in work. In Swindon 8,000 more people are now in work compared to 5 years ago, whilst over 86,000 have benefited from a reduction in their income tax.

Perhaps the most unexpected highlight of my year came at the end of May when I happened to spot a missed call one morning from the Downing Street switchboard (I had been brushing my teeth). Of course I called back straight away and was told to report to Downing Street to meet with the Prime Minister. Once there I was completely stunned when he sat me in the Cabinet room and asked me to become a part of the Government as the new Minister for Disabled People.

Since that meeting (which I can now only vaguely recall due to shock at the time) I have completely thrown myself into this challenging, yet rewarding role over the course of the past 7 months. Whether meeting with charities, stake holders or local disabled residents, this is a role that I take immensely seriously and I am dedicated towards improving the standard of life for disabled people across our country. So far I have re-jigged the Disability Confident campaign by road testing a new Reverse Jobs Fair method which I piloted in Swindon in October, and which has directly resulted in more disabled people in work. I am also working hard to increase awareness of the importance of accessibility, whether this be at football stadiums, restaurants, cinemas or motor way service stations.

Finally, to all local organisations, residents and groups that I represent and work with, I would like to say a huge thank you for continuing to engage and show support. To my office, friends and family; thank you for your continued support which gives me the enthusiasm to work as hard as I can for our local community here in Swindon. I wish everybody a prosperous and happy 2016.