THIS year has been incredibly tough for millions of people across Britain and around the world.
 
Here at home, poverty is rising while the essential services upon which we all rely are starved of vital resources.

The Chancellor’s Budget was a missed opportunity to bring about the transformative change this country needs. I remain appalled by the government’s decision to keep the two-child benefit cap, cut winter fuel allowance and slash disability benefits.

Instead of trapping thousands of people in poverty, the government needs to tackle the root cause of our country’s economic crisis: inequality. I will continue to campaign for wealth taxes so we can lift people out of poverty, fund our public services properly and invest in a greener future.
 
Globally, we’ve witnessed unimaginable suffering: genocide in Gaza, wars in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yemen, Syria and Ukraine, all shattering the dreams of a generation.

Many of us have attended demonstrations together, in Islington and in central London, to call for peace. Our marches are made up of people from all faiths and none, united in a belief that all human life has equal value.

We will never walk away from the people of Palestine, and we will continue to call on our government to end all arms sales to Israel, enforce the ICC arrest warrants, impose sanctions, and recognise the state of Palestine.
 
We’re not interested in bombs. We’re interested in peace. Real security is not endless military spending. It’s ensuring everybody has a decent home, securing a habitable future and co-operating with our global neighbours to bring about a more sustainable and peaceful world.
 
Christmas and New Year remind us that hope endures. They offer a moment to pause, reflect, and be grateful for the strength we find in one another. They call us to recommit to the struggle for peace and justice — here and everywhere.
 
And it is hope that fuels our struggle. In Islington North, we ran a positive and historic independent election campaign, as a voice for the NHS, renters’ rights, our environment, and an end to genocide in Gaza. That campaign offered a glimpse of the better future we can achieve when we harness our collective energy and vision.
 
When I reflect on the people this work has brought together — diverse, determined, united by hope — I am inspired.
 
As we step into 2025, I look forward to continuing this journey with all of you. We have big plans for the year — and we can only achieve them together.
 
Wishing you a peaceful Christmas and a hopeful New Year.

Jeremy Corbyn is MP for Islington North.