A mixed bag for my column this month; of leaders, leadership and naughty pups.
First, congratulations to Boris Johnson on his election as leader of the Conservative Party. It’s no secret he wasn’t my pick, I was very active in Jeremy Hunt’s campaign, but he won fair and square by a significant margin and I wish him every success; not for my party but for my constituency and our country.
The new Prime Minister deserves a chance and I will support him from the back-benches – and hold him – to the promises made during the campaign. That includes the prediction that the chances of a no-deal Brexit are a “million-to-one against” and his clearly stated desire to leave the EU with a withdrawal agreement in line with the manifesto on which I was elected in 2017.
To do that will require compromise and, I predict, something remarkably similar to Theresa May’s draft Withdrawal Agreement being agreed by MPs so we can move on and frame the future relationship for the UK with the EU27 and the 150 countries who are not members of that exclusive club. It’s time to ditch the lazy slogans, designed for partisan advantage, on BOTH sides of this tired Brexit debate and show the body politic can rise to this challenge. And it’s time for MPs like me to keep my Government in the moderate, sensible one-nation 00centre-ground where it belongs.
Secondly, while I may have left my role in Government as Public Health Minister earlier this year, my interest and work on many of the things I care about has not stopped. One part of that is my involvement in an exciting new independent commission which aims end HIV transmissions in England within the next 10 years.
The HIV Commission has been created by the UK’s leading HIV charities, Terrence Higgins Trust and the National AIDS Trust, and I will be one of its commissioners. The year-long programme of work is backed by the UK Government and will see us host a series of community events, a public online consultation, and a national call for evidence from those directly impacted by HIV.
The Commission will publish its recommendations next spring, which the Government has committed to review as part of its commitment to publish an action plan to meet its target to end new HIV transmissions by 2030.
While at the Department, I set the goal earlier for England to become one of the first countries in the world to reach the UN zero-infections target. While increased and frequent HIV testing, swift treatment for those diagnosed with HIV, continued high rates of condom use, and HIV prevention pill PrEP have contributed to a 28% drop in new HIV diagnoses in the UK between 2015 – 2017, we’ve still a way to go.
I have always believed the end to new HIV transmissions is possible, we wouldn’t have made the pledge if not, but action is needed to ensure progress is made in all affected communities, and to tackle the significant discrimination and stigma faced by people living with HIV when accessing health care, in the workplace, and across society. I am really thrilled to be joining the HIV Commission and would welcome views from constituents in Winchester & Chandler’s Ford as part of our work.
Finally, constituents were very familiar with my Labrador ‘Popcorn’ who we sadly lost back in 2017. We’ve thought long and hard before starting the journey all over again but trouble well and truly arrived last weekend in the form of ‘Monty’; a nine week old black Lab who’s the newest member of the Brine household. You’ll see him along the way soon enough.
Much more on my work, in Westminster and the constituency, at www.stevebrine.com but please ‘like’ my page at www.fb.com/SteveBrineMP for instant updates.
Steve Brine MP
