Opinion: 'This year Britain turns a corner' - Alex Ballinger MP

As the Labour Government enters its second full year back in government, Alex Ballinger MP has headed to Parliament to continue campaigning on behalf of local residents on key issues including the cost of living, cutting NHS waiting lists, and bringing investment to Halesowen.

In 2026, Alex Ballinger says he is confident that this year Britain will turn a corner, after years of division and decline under the Conservatives. Division and decline which other opposition parties such as Reform UK and the Green Party continue to peddle alongside the Tories today. In contrast, many of the choices the Labour Government has taken will have a real positive impact on the lives of millions of people this year – with more set to benefit over time.

A key issue the government is focused on is tackling the cost of living. Measures the government has taken to ease the cost of living that will kick in this year will include:

• Taking £150 off average energy bills in April

• ⁠An increase to the National Living Wage worth £900 a year for millions of low paid workers

• ⁠Rail fares frozen for the first time in 30 years

• ⁠Fuel duty cut extended until September

• ⁠The £3 bus fare cap extended until at least March 2027

• ⁠Prescription charges frozen to keep them under a tenner

• ⁠Free breakfast clubs will open in 500 more schools in April, saving parents up to £450 a year

• ⁠Ending the Two Child Limit, which will lift 450,000 children out of poverty

• ⁠The State Pension will rise giving pensioners up to an additional £575 a year thanks to the Triple Lock commitment

Alex Ballinger MP admits there is “much more to do” to turn Britain’s fortunes around, but says he “firmly believes” the country is getting back on track. And that this year many more local residents in Halesowen and across Britain will start to feel the benefits of the change the Labour Government is bringing.

With more police on the streets by March, energy bills down, new health hubs opening in April, more asylum hotels being closed down, and more funding being delivered to local communities, local communities are set to see a clear demonstration this year that the decline of the past isn’t inevitable.

Alex Ballinger, Labour MP for Halesowen, said: “2026 is the year Britain turns a corner. After years of the chaos of the past, we’re back on track and we can all start to face the future with confidence.

“While the toughest problems we face won’t be solved overnight, I’m determined to make sure people in Halesowen feel better off. The national renewal Keir Starmer’s Labour Government is bringing will become much more visible this year. And many of the decisions we’ve taken since we came to power will start having a real impact on people’s lives.

“We can only deliver the better future for our area we need and bring about a Britain built for all if we come together to reject the politics of division and decline. This is the year we must grip this opportunity together and move forwards, confident about what Halesowen and Britain can be.”