It’s August and I hope all readers are enjoying the lovely weather of late. Some may even think the recent heatwave was ‘too hot’. But as always, it doesn’t last forever, and for me, it’s a chance to make the most of our natural surroundings – not least by taking to the waters of the beautiful Stour.
Inevitably, August feels like a month of escape for many. But not for all – not by a long chalk. First of all, the big downside of our prolonged dry weather has been forcing an earlier harvest than usual. As such, amidst the plentiful sunshine there have been constant scenes in our surrounding countryside of farmers gathering their premature harvest in. It may not be the best time for our farmers, but I still get huge pleasure watching the action on our back field, as lorries drive with practised precision alongside the combines to catch their crop, before driving off to wherever it is destined.
This particular August also has an important commemorative significance. Last Friday marked the 80th anniversary of VJ Day – when the second world war effectively ended, with the surrender of Japan. The moment of reflection we all shared was especially poignant for those with family connections to those who served, remembering that the Suffolk Regiment played a key role in the Far East campaign. I was delighted to attend a very moving VJ Day service at Preston St Mary church and, in my capacity as Shadow Defence Secretary, to speak in the Parliamentary debate on VJ Day – emphasising the point that the so called ‘Forgotten War’ in the pacific theatre will be far from that, as the event is marked across the nation.
Then there are the exam results millions are receiving, with A-Levels last Thursday and GCSEs this week. I have a personal interest in both sets of results this year, and will be going through the emotions of many other local parents as grades are confirmed. Of course, I also have the responsibility as a Member of Parliament to support those policies which will support strong educational outcomes - and deliver employment opportunity for those who go on to their next stage of life, post education. That’s why I formally supported West Suffolk College’s application to become the Construction Technical Excellence College (CTEC) for the East of England and was delighted when last week it was confirmed they were successful.
One of the biggest achievements of our fourteen years in Government was a genuine improvement in educational outcomes. The testament to this is from the international league tables, which we shot up during that period, with major progression as a nation in English and Maths. As such, I hope that the current Government does not continue to reverse the reforms which enabled those improvements. I also personally believe that we should restore one word OFSTED judgements, as it’s vital that parents retain transparency over school standards, given the massive implications of choosing where to send one’s children. Such life choices are critical and must be undertaken with the best possible information to hand.
But my biggest worry at present in this area concerns employment opportunities, once the grades have been obtained, and the learning journey completed (or sustained in work, through an apprenticeship). Anecdotally, it was clear to me at my last Sudbury Jobs Fair, held at the Arts Centre, that there were fewer vacancies than previously. This has now been confirmed in a set of rather stark surveys.
Only this month, the Times reported: ‘firms hire at lowest rate since the pandemic’. The article, from last Monday, found that ‘companies are planning to hire new staff at their lowest rate outside of the pandemic after Rachel Reeves’s raid on employer insurance contributions’, and chimes with other recent findings.
The bottom line is that Labour’s Jobs Tax appears to have knocked the stuffing out of the employment market. I sincerely hope this impact will be short lived, because some of the sectors cutting hiring – such as hospitality – are precisely those that have traditionally offered first starts for school leavers.
What should also concern us is that this reduction in hiring might also be closing off avenues out of the benefits system. That has major implications – we need to stop the welfare bill ballooning, and getting people into work is the only sustainable way to achieve that. Otherwise, even more tax rises loom.
If this sounds gloomy amid the Suffolk sunshine, it needn’t be – we just need the Government to recognise the mistakes it has made, resist yet more tax rises this autumn, and focus on backing businesses to create jobs. A job creating economy can not only deliver lower welfare spending, but create opportunities locally for young people.
Published in the Suffolk Free Press.
