Dignified care in old age should be a right for all of us. With an ageing population, this is one of the biggest challenges our country faces. We have to make sure this country works for everyone and that the most vulnerable in society gain the support they need.

All the talk here at Westminster, is about the customs union. For those that are not following the Brexit debate closely, the customs union is a trade agreement of two parts. First, the parties agree, that they will not charge tariffs or import duties on each other’s goods.

I freely admit I come from a privileged background; I had a good education and a supportive family. I was brought up understanding the values of working hard at school and aspiring to a good career of my own. I am not by any stretch of the imagination “working class”.

Here at Westminster foreign affairs seem to have been dominating the agenda. The big story Russia. 

In my view Jeremy Corbyn is a bit of a snake oil salesman when it comes to university funding.

Historians will judge the David Cameron years as those that led up to the Brexit referendum. But he should also be remembered for leading a coalition government that fizzed with ideas and innovative ways of making our country and the wider world a fairer, better place.

Labour fought the last election on promises to implement a mass programme of nationalisation, which included the energy, water, rail and mail sectors including some PFI deals. But it doesn’t end there!

A political consensus is emerging here at Westminster about what has to be done to save the NHS which we all know is in crisis. The main cause that has been targeted is social care, which has been created by an ageing population and yes, cuts to local Government.

First, Happy New Year to everyone! And now to the politics. The scale of challenges in 2018 will continue apace.

Since I last wrote we have had a budget. Always a high-risk moment for any Chancellor but this one went off relatively smoothly. The only real shock in it were  the growth figures, which were projected downwards.