Tom Harwood: This government has a stonking majority - It's about time we see Number 10 actually use it

Parliament is back this afternoon for its first sitting of the new year.

While the agenda today is low key, the task of the next few months for this administration is vast.

Nervous MPs have been anxiously watching the polls. For many of the over 100 first term Conservative MPs on those green benches, the end of last year represented the first time their party has been significantly behind in the polls since their election over two years ago.

Nervous backbenchers make for jittery government.

While last night's press conference saw a Prime Minister clearly attempting to show he has his hand back on the tiller, today's Prime Ministers' Questions, at the later time of 3pm this afternoon, will present Boris's first opportunity this year to speak to much of his party.

The Prime Minister stumbled through November and December with a series of unforced errors.

Pursuing retrospective rule changes over parliamentary standards to save a mate from a 30 day suspension. And then U turning.

A 100 strong Tory rebellion over Plan B vaccine passport measures. An unnecessary by-election calamity.

And the drip drip drip of stories about various lockdown gatherings in Number 10.

The papers were practically swimming in wine and cheese.

But this is a new year. Those stories have the opportunity to fade into the distance, but only if they are replaced by a positive agenda.

The Prime Minister holding firm over not following the troublesome restrictive path of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland is already winning him back some respect.

But in truth it is a legislative agenda that could be the key to moving the needle.

As things stand, this government has little to boast about.

The public are tired of hearing that Brexit Got Done, and the poll bounce from this country's undeniable vaccine success has long since passed.

For many, the next year presents a troublesome smorgasbord of tax rises, energy price hikes, NHS waiting lists, inflation, and a continuing housing crisis.

This government has to prove it had an agenda to combat this spectre.

Where are the tax cuts, the liberalisations, the reform agenda?

Where is the housebuilding, where are the measures to unleash our newly independent economy?

Where are the brave market reforms that we know have the power to alleviate the looming cost of living crisis?

This government has a stonking majority. It's about time we see Number 10 actually use it.