They say a week is a long time in politics and I can testify that the last forty-four days have felt like an age. It has been a deeply uncomfortable affair watching as poor preparation led to such real-world impacts upon people across South Devon and the whole country.

In these pages a few weeks ago, I saluted the intent to go for growth. Many of the policies announced around IR35 and small business investment were the right ones, and I hope these will be revisited. I also welcomed the news of reducing stamp duty and scrapping the national insurance rise, both of which remain in place. However, Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng failed to recognise the febrility of global markets and how the smallest pronouncements could have a great impact.

We often consider ourselves to be unique in this country. Britain is either the best at something or we are in the worst situation. However, a quick glimpse at other countries across Europe and the world shows that we are not in the top ranks for the highest levels of inflation or interest. This is not a case of looking over the garden fence but a simple recognition that many of the problems we face are not confined to just the UK.

The last few years have seen the Government launch the largest packages of financial support of any country. From furlough that supported eleven million livelihoods and hundreds of thousands of businesses, to the new energy care package which is helping to support households across the country. The levels of support have gone far above the expectations of even the harshest of critics.

While the pandemic and the war in Ukraine are to blame for these epic levels of Government spending, so too are national central banks. The ease with which quantitative easing has reigned supreme through each central bank without correlation means that we have grown comfortable with low rates and little fluctuation. Arguably, we should have expected from them greater levels of discussions and cooperation, but hindsight is always a wonderful thing.

Our new Prime Minister, who I have supported since the start of the summer campaign, faces a huge challenge. He must now restore confidence in our markets, explain the impact of the new global financial crisis as well as continue our support in Ukraine. This means markets will move and interest rates will go up and down, something I have experienced little of in my life, but is likely to become the norm.

I supported Rishi Sunak earlier this year because I recognise the severity of the situation the world now faces. The globe is more fractured, volatile and disunited than ever before, and it will only be through cool, calm engagement and careful thought that we will find our way through. Rishi embodies many good qualities, but having seen him as Chancellor I saw first-hand his ability to be innovative and to create new mechanisms to help those in need, to change treasury orthodoxy and to bring people together. For this reason and for so many more, I am pleased and reassured to see him in post.

As I said in my statement last week, I will continue to do what I was elected to do – deliver for the people of South Devon. It has been my honour for the last three years to champion local causes, give them a voice in Westminster and address the regional disparities that we see in the Southwest. That means working on dental access, improving connectivity (digital and rural), as well as improving rural healthcare services and attracting new investment to the region.

I have always been an optimist, not blindly so, but someone who believes in the power of community and the fact that things can get better. My optimism in South Devon has never dwindled and I genuinely believe we have our best days ahead.