Column: Jon Trickett MP - 2021 must be the year for our public services

This year has thrown up unprecedented challenges for so many. It is incredibly sad that 567 people from our district have died from Covid-19 this year. We send our condolences to all who have lost loved ones.

Amid all the tragedy, if there’s anything positive we can take from this year, it is our sense of community and spirit of togetherness.

Back in March, I said in these pages that our biggest strength is each other. I am incredibly proud of how our area has rallied round one another, helping and supporting those in need.

Community networks delivered essential supplies to those who were shielding. Telephone calls were made to those feeling alone. Food banks were established to feed those in hardship. Food vouchers were provided to kids by our local Labour council. I thank every single one who has helped others.

This year has also shown the value of public services, exemplified by our key workers. NHS staff, postal workers, bus drivers, supermarket staff and so many more have stepped up this year and kept our country moving when life as we knew it ground to a halt.

We rightly paid tribute to the role our key workers have played during this crisis. Clapping for our carers on a Thursday evening. Supporting Captain Tom Moore’s phenomenal fundraising efforts for our NHS. Acts of generosity that I have seen around my Hemsworth constituency.

It is grossly unfair that public sector workers have been rewarded for their acts of heroism by seeing their pay frozen. Staff working in social care continue to be paid only the minimum wage.

Next year must be the year of public services. 2020 has shown us just how much we all depend on our key workers.

When the going gets tough it is not the bankers in the City of London that are there for us. The hardworking people you see in every community across this country are the folk you can rely on for support.

We must use 2021 as an opportunity to reset and reshape the way our country works. This year has given us a chance to reassess what is important. The public services and key workers on which we have all come to rely are understaffed, underpaid and underfunded. This has to change.

In 2021 I will be campaigning for a better deal for our public services and the millions of individuals who work within them. Key workers are our modern day heroes. The least they deserve is to be paid properly, in a manner that is truly reflective of the value they bring to our society.

I will also continue the fight for a fair deal for our local Labour council. It is vital that local government receives their fair share of resources in order to respond to local needs.

The many towns and villages that make up our proud district are the lifeblood of our communities. In 2021 they deserve proper investment so they can once again be the hub of communal life.

Once again I want to thank all those who have helped others during this most difficult of years.

When the chips are down, the strength we are able to draw from each other is what gets us through.

I wish you all a happy and healthy 2021. Keep safe.

Tribute: Pontefract mural by Rachel List, photo: Oli Scarff, Getty