Jacob Rees-Mogg: British people are desperate for change, should we not look to the future with hope?

And yet, with the British people desperate for change, should we not look to the future with hope?

History shows us that severe periods of failure and disaster create a public appetite and readiness for major change.

Just remember where Britain was before Margaret Thatcher: record-high taxes, businesses in decline, public services on strike, blackouts and national stagnation. Out of discord came reform.

May we bring harmony where there is error. May we bring truth where there is doubt. May we bring faith where there is despair. May we bring hope.

The crisis of the 1970s paved the way for reform and that is where we are now.

Despite the difficulties we face, there is also enormous opportunity for improvement. The British people are desperate for it. They are waiting for it.

Since 1997, we have become accustomed to New Labour-style politics: constitutional meddling through Lords reform and devolution, class warfare, technocratic governance, tax hikes, mass migration experiments and quasi-religious green policies.

What people want now is change and a return to free markets.

They want a system that rewards work, not shirks it. They want to keep more of what they earn, free from a nanny state that pushes digital ID and tells you you cannot have a cigarette outside the pub.

As we head into Christmas, there is a growing sense of optimism that this dreadful Government will come to an end.

It has failed so comprehensively that by 2029, people will be ready for something better and ready for the difficult decisions real reform requires.So enjoy the season.

Eat, drink and be merry. Ignore the scolds. Laugh off the nonsense.

And remember the first major political moment of 2025, which showed that decisive change is possible. At President Trump’s inauguration in the United States, he declared:

“Our liberties and our nation’s glorious destiny will no longer be denied, and we will immediately restore the integrity, competency and loyalty of America’s Government.”

Imagine if a British Prime Minister spoke with such clarity and resolve.

That moment injected energy and proved that politicians with the will to act can deliver enormous change. Transformative action is possible when there is courage.

2026 may yet be another year of decline and pessimism but it may also pave the way for the fundamental change Britain needs after the next election, as conservatives of all stripes embrace the reform the public demands.