THIS week Rishi Sunak became our new Prime Minister. He entered Downing Street after a turbulent few weeks in Westminster, with a promise to place economic stability and confidence at the heart of the government’s agenda.

I know from my time working alongside him when I was a Parliamentary Private Secretary at HM Treasury that Rishi is committed to a strong economy that will inspire global confidence. Our country nonetheless faces huge challenges, stemming from the aftermath of the pandemic and the illegal and inhumane invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Together, these have had profound economic consequences not just here in the UK but around the world, from the US to Germany, from Brazil to Japan. This means that the coming months are going to be tough. Incredibly difficult decisions will need to be made about tax and about public spending, but Rishi has been clear that he will always ensure there is help for the most vulnerable.

Supporting those in the greatest need is integral to compassionate Conservatism: that’s an approach I fundamentally believe is right.

Rishi has a strong track record protecting people at a time of crisis: his furlough scheme saved countless jobs across my constituency during the dark days of Covid.

And we must not forget that the Government has already introduced measures that will provide significant help to local families with their energy bills over the winter, with a unit price cap that means the typical household bill will be approximately £2,500, rather than the £6,000 that would have been likely if there had been with no Government help.

This is in addition to the £400 of support being given to band A-D council tax households, providing a direct benefit to many local people. Importantly, public bodies and businesses are also getting assistance to deal with rising fuel costs through the Energy Bill Relief Scheme.

There’s other help too: Government funding contributes to Buckinghamshire Council’s Helping Hands scheme, which can provide additional support for heating and household bills, as well as providing advice on debt management.

You can find more details here buckinghamshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living

Despite the immediate challenges we face, I am absolutely confident that the best days lie ahead for our country. Buckinghamshire remains a fantastic place to live and work and I am incredibly proud to represent our county town in Parliament.

Aylesbury MP

Rob Butler