Ipswich MP Tom Hunt: 'What I want to see happen in 2022'

The last two years have presented issues which I doubt any of us anticipated having to face.

However, beyond omnipresent Covid cases ebbing and rising, lie issues which desperately need dealing with.

The national issues which I feel need to be tackled in 2022 are primarily the cost of living, the immigration crisis, and Covid restrictions. Looking to 2022, it seems to me that the Government needs to govern as a Conservative party, and take leadership on the issues that matter to our constituents.

What we saw in 2021 was a year dominated by an ever-changing Covid situation, culminating in the emergence of the Omicron variant in the winter. This year and beyond, it is likely – if not inevitable - that we will face new and different variants of the virus: I sincerely hope that we as a country have learnt the lessons which accompanied the Omicron variant, and will turn our backs on the draconian restrictions which have harrowed mental health and livelihoods across the UK, as well as turning our attention to the serious matters needing urgent resolution – like the cost of living and immigration.

Something which has been on the minds of many of my constituents and people across the country is the rising cost of living in the UK. As a Conservative party which stands for boosting the opportunities and quality of life across the country, levelling up the most deprived pockets of the nation, and encouraging prosperity, it is critical that the cost of living continues to be addressed, this coming year. Over the past year, we have seen the government take steps to resolve cost of living concerns, including raising the living wage and implementing the universal credit taper.

While climate change poses an international challenge, this is not one I think should be resolved by hitting the bank accounts of working people. Between taxes on fuel and weeks of government time spent talking about the issue during COP26, the approach to the Green issue doesn’t seem to reflect the thinking of most people. In the coming year, I feel we need to refocus priorities on ensuring our solutions to the climate problem do not come at the cost of higher bills for those who can’t afford them, or at the risk of dominating the agenda ahead of pertinent issues like the cost of living. For example, cutting VAT on energy bills would save consumers – something only made possible through Brexit, as EU rules meant compulsory taxes.

Tom Hunt says the approach to Green issues does not reflect the thinking of most people (Image: Archant)

Although the Labour party, inspired by the whims of the North London bubble and the M25 activists, may fancy an overhaul which costs an arm and a leg, I hope that the next year sees government consideration of the global climate crisis in balance with the very real costs to British people.

Another key issue which we need to see significant progress on in the coming year is the immigration crisis. With illegal immigrants and asylum seekers arriving at our shores on a daily basis, this absolutely must be a government priority in 2022.

In 2021 we saw measures to expedite the asylum process, such as the nationality and borders Bill, and changes to the courts process to remove the extra round of appeal that asylum cases have had access to: last year, the Judicial Review and Courts Bill began its process through Parliament, and it is expected that in 2022 its effects will come into action.

However, I am sure I am not alone in my frustrations with the current progress. This year, I will continue putting pressure on the government concerning this issue. In December, I met Priti Patel to voice the concerns of my constituents – concerns which I share.

As well as dealing with the sheer number of illegal immigrants arriving in the UK, I feel that we also need to re-evaluate how these individuals are housed. It honestly baffles me to see these people, who have travelled through safe European countries to arrive here illegally, housed in four-star hotels. I know I speak for many of my constituents when I say that this is something which absolutely has to change. I will be meeting the minister for immigration to discuss this further, and impress this point upon the Home Office.

Going forward, I think that the Home Secretary should seriously consider offshore processing as a way of reducing the incentive for prospective migrants, therefore reducing the caseload being processed.

Regarding the ongoing Covid situation, one certainty is that new variants like Omicron will emerge over time. Another certainty is that the panic button reaction, reaching for the lockdown lever any time the situation develops, is detrimental to the economy and to mental health. In 2022, I would like to see the UK move past these kind of reactionary restrictions altogether, towards a more certain and more reliable way of dealing with the virus – after all, the virus is now one we must learn to live with.

I want to see mental health and freedoms protected against future lockdowns, prioritising the social lives of young people, livelihoods of business owners, and the viability of high streets and hospitality. It is my hope that in 2022, this becomes a clear aim of the government’s response to the pandemic, with a balanced approach which takes into consideration the devastating impacts of restrictions.

What I don’t want to see, at the turn of 2023, is continued anxiety over potential lockdowns; going into next year, it would be great to have all of this behind us. While it might be unrealistic to expect Covid to be a thing of the past, it is within our power to ensure that the constant yo-yo of imposing and easing restrictions is left behind.