It’s been a momentous year. It’s been all-change here, across Cornwall, and the UK. Then recent developments in the US, Syria and globally portend challenges as well as opportunities ahead.

Following July‘s general election, it became clear that the work needed to rebuild our country was a great deal more than anyone had previously anticipated. The previous government had become so distracted with chasing headlines, infighting, and manufacturing ultimately futile initiatives, that much of government ground to a halt.

Though work has commenced, there is still much more to do; to restore our NHS, address a much-worsened housing crisis, combat rising inequality, reverse the looming climate catastrophe, and to ensure Cornwall‘s true potential is realised, not least as a key contributor in efforts to combat climate change.

2025 will be a momentous year for Cornwall. There’ll be fresh elections to Cornwall Council. It plays a pivotal role in shaping our economy, public services and influencing life chances and quality of life.

Since the last Council elections in 2021, despite controlling government and our Council, and holding all 6 of Cornwall’s MP seats, the Conservatives have left Cornwall in a mess. Care, health, housing, public services, all in their worst crises in living memory, and the Council sliding towards bankruptcy.

Restoring our NHS is a massive task. As a Health Select Committee member, I’ll work to provide constructive scrutiny, to support the step-change improvements we all want. Locally I’ll be fighting to deliver the Women & Children’s Hospital, secure 24/7 Urgent Treatment at Penzance, improve mental health support and to combat the dentistry desert.

Though government ministers have sincere intent to address severe housing need, their pursuit of high housing targets is misguided.

PM Starmer says he’ll "back builders, not blockers". Of course, we need genuinely affordable homes. But their method puts "greed before need".

Government ministers claim they’ll deliver their target of 1.5 million homes this Parliament. But let’s get real: no government meets housebuilding targets unless it builds the bulk of the homes itself. The government’s plan is based on a naïve delusion that private developers will act against their own interests. Unfortunately, most major political parties still cling to this delusion.

I’ve spent over 40 years campaigning for housing justice, including professionally, working with our communities to help deliver genuinely affordable homes. Policy makers should acknowledge that housebuilding targets are merely a MEANS to an end—the real ‘end’/goal is meeting (or at least reducing) housing need. Setting targets to meet need would change the way planning works. It may even result in more homes, but it would engage rather than alienate our communities.

Cornwall is a classic example of the failure of basing policy on housebuilding targets. It has exceeded its targets, nearly tripling housing stock in 60 years, yet the housing need of locals has got WORSE. High housebuilding targets don’t just fail. They make matters worse by ratcheting up ‘hope value’ on land which would otherwise be suitable for affordable homes.

Much work to do.

Nadelek lower ha blethen noweth da.

Andrew George, Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives