Labour has never been able to solve an economic crisis

When my family fled Saddam Hussein in the 1970s, we believed Britain would provide us with the freedom and opportunity to thrive. I am proud to see a Britain where people from all backgrounds can establish themselves and go on to hold the land’s highest offices.It is a privilege, and this Government knows how important it is to spread the same opportunities we were afforded to everyone else in the nation. We do, however, find ourselves at a difficult juncture.Rishi Sunak’s initial message was, ‘Right now our country is facing a profound economic crisis.’ He is right. Covid caused enormous economic upheaval as well as its devastating impact on our health and well-being and was followed by the war in Ukraine.It is as important today as it ever has been that Putin does not prevail in his barbaric attack on the Ukrainian people. Coming together to solve problems is what we do best, and I am still heartened when I think of how the public unified during Covid.Retired nurses returned to the front line, thousands of volunteers helped administer jabs, and we weathered the storm together despite being apart for so long. There were also times in the last decade when the Government had to unify to produce outcomes for Britons.We took the difficult decisions needed to put public finances on a stronger footing after the financial crash and Great Recession over a decade ago, we got Brexit done, and we introduced the furlough scheme to support 11.6 million jobs during the pandemic.So the solution to our current woes stares us in the face. Come together as a party, Government and nation, and we are unstoppable. The Conservatives have done it before, and will do it again. When was the last time Labour solved an economic crisis? The truth is they haven’t (Image: GETTY)No matter what is thrown at us, we will restore economic stability and confidence whilst delivering on the mandate we received in 2019. Compare this with Labour’s vision in 2019.Jeremy Corbyn, supported by his key lieutenant Keir Starmer, wanted Nato disbanded. Keir tries to distance himself from Corbyn but people are not fools – they remember them standing shoulder to shoulder.Thinking of Ukraine, it strikes me how short-sighted these visions were. Throwing these sorts of policies around for ideological gain has enormous consequences.I am forever grateful to voters for rejecting what would have been a disastrous Labour government selling Britain and her allies down the river.Labour also pledged £83billion in tax rises and over £400billion in borrowing at the last election. Once again, its short-sighted policy agenda would have left Britain with no money on the brink of a global pandemic and the sharpest recession for over 300 years.Under the Tories, we fixed the roof while the sun was shining and the coffers were full, meaning we had the money to support you and your families during Covid. Let me ask what I feel is a very fair question.When was the last time Labour solved an economic crisis? The truth is they haven’t. In the face of the last economic crisis in 2009, Labour’s disastrous financial management caused GDP to fall significantly and the budget deficit to hit almost 10 per cent in 2010.They wiped out the middle class, left the working class destitute and then told us, ‘There’s no money left.’ They had no plans to solve the last crisis, and have no plans to sort out the current one.Last week, we saw Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner on TV refusing to say whether Labour would cut public spending, proving it hasn’t got the guts to make tough decisions when the nation needs them to.Whether it be 2009 or 2019, their offer hasn’t changed. Conservatives are forward-thinking and pragmatic, and unlike Labour, we recognise when we’ve made an error and rectify it.Our unity is our strength, and under Rishi, I know we can come together and stop Labour from wreaking havoc on our country. My Tory colleagues in Parliament understand the stakes are sky-high.We cannot allow the keys of No10 to be handed to such an out-of-touch, self-serving group. We have a proud legacy in government, and in my new role as Conservative Party chairman, I will do everything in my power to make sure we take the fight to Labour, so we can continue to deliver a Conservative agenda, build on that proud legacy and offer everyone a future full of opportunity and security.While we face difficult months ahead, we have in Rishi the leader Britain needs to steer us through. We have incredibly tough decisions to take to get the country on a surer economic footing. But Rishi has the integrity, decency and good judgment to make the right choices. With him in charge we will ride out the storm.