AS THE general election looms, a Shropshire parliamentary hopeful has revealed his goals and hopes for the year ahead.

Chris Naylor, South Shropshire’s Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate said that he believed that 2024 would be a key year for both the country and the planet.

Nationally, he hopes that inflation will come down to the agreed 2 per cent target so that families are more financially secure and that the government will agree to a phased deal for junior doctors amid strike action.

Mr Naylor also expressed that he wants water companies to start investing properly in maintaining the health of the rivers, rather than just doing what he views as the bare minimum.

When it comes to international issues, he said he would like to see the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza come to an end, or at least a ceasefire. 

Additionally, he claimed that the aspirations and obligations promised during the COP28 summit should be strived towards by nations across the world rather than delayed or ignored.

"No political party can remain in power for decades without losing vision and ideas and this government’s increasing rate of changing prime ministers surely shows it's struggling for stability and competence too," said Mr Naylor.

"I’m very much hoping that by the end of 2024 we’ll have a new government - new ideas, fresh vision, real principles and values again. I’ll be arguing for compassion and community as well as competence.

"I’ll be calling for a renewal of faith in our cherished NHS, and a new programme to cut our ever-mounting waiting lists - doubled in the last five years - by using NHS staff and operating theatres more at weekends, rather than paying private clinics over the odds.

"I’ll be calling for more help - advice and money - to support farmers here in the transition to sustainable, regenerative agriculture, while continuing crucially to feed the nation.

"Living in the heart of South Shropshire as I do, as a Lib Dem I very much want to help make that change. Listening to and working with voters; representing them in Parliament and in Shropshire too of course; to serve and not to be served."