AFTER almost two years serving as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, I have returned to the backbenches following a reshuffle of the Conservative front bench team. It has been one of the great honours of my career.

When I took on the role in November 2024, our party had just suffered a difficult general election defeat. The task ahead was clear. We needed to rebuild trust on the economy and hold the government to account with rigour and seriousness. I am proud of the work my team and I did to do exactly that.

The economic picture facing families across Devon and the country remains challenging. Inflation, while lower than the peaks we saw a few years ago, has continued to squeeze household budgets. The Office for National Statistics has consistently shown that the cost of everyday essentials, from food to energy, weighs heavily on working people. Here in a largely rural constituency, higher fuel and transport costs hit particularly hard, something I have raised repeatedly.

Growth remains the great national challenge. The UK economy has grown only slowly in recent years, and productivity has lagged behind many of our international competitors. Government borrowing has stayed stubbornly high, with public sector net debt hovering close to the size of our entire annual economic output. These are not abstract figures. They shape the taxes we pay, the interest on our mortgages and the money available for the public services we all rely upon.

During my time as Shadow Chancellor I focused on developing serious and deliverable ideas rather than easy slogans. That meant arguing for fiscal responsibility, sensible choices on spending, and measures to reward work and back British business. Championing lower taxes on enterprise and cutting the burdens that too often hold firms back were central to everything I set out to achieve.

I am also deeply grateful to my local party, who re-selected me earlier this year to fight the next election. That trust means a great deal to me, and my commitment to my constituency has never wavered.

Returning to the backbenches gives me fresh opportunities to champion the issues that matter most locally, from rural broadband and road maintenance to supporting our farmers and small businesses. I will continue to speak up for Central Devon at every turn.

If you ever wish to raise a concern or share your views, my door remains open, and my team and I are always here to help.