It’s been an odd year. A Labour MP put it well in the last Prime Minister’s Questions before we broke up. This year, we have had 5 Education secretaries, 4 Chancellors of the Exchequer, 3 Prime Ministers, 2 leadership coups, and the partridge has had to sell the pear tree to pay for energy bills.

Her humorous look at the travails of the government sums up a very peculiar time. But as we end this year, I feel more comfortable with who’s in charge than I have for a long time.

I backed Jeremy Hunt when Boris was voted in as leader. I backed Rishi Sunak when Liz Truss won the title. Now we have my two choices as Prime Minister and Chancellor. They both face our problems with wisdom and pragmatism. Not for them a lighthearted approach to our challenges, or an economic experiment that nearly brought down our pension system. This leadership feels more stable than anything since the general election of 2017.

We face the challenges of the new year – energy prices, war in Ukraine, inflation, strikes – with a team that will make adult choices. And that’s important. Politics isn’t a game. It’s about creating a world where people will have a little bit more at the end the year than when they started. Where businesses can start up, grow, employ people, serve their communities and customers. Where people can realise the aspiration of owning their own home and raising their family. Where retirement is something that is to be welcomed, with good pensions and a good health system to ease us into our old age.

Of course, there is a lot more to running a country. International reputation, taking a lead on environmental issues, responding to security threats – all are big challenges and a country like the UK, with its significant global presence, has a big leadership role.

But as we break for Christmas, despite the problems of strikes and the economy, I am confident that our leadership can tackle the problems.

And finally, but most importantly, I want to thank all those public sector workers who have worked hard to look after us all. Health workers, emergency services, those keeping us safe from wrongdoers, teachers who deliver tomorrow’s workers and entrepreneurs, and everyone who looks after our environment. Without them all, our lives would be a lot less successful. So thank you for everything you do, and a happy Christmas.