In case you missed it, Oxford Dictionaries, for the first time, asked the general public to choose their ‘word of 2022’. The public chose ‘goblin mode’. Heard of the term before? No, I hadn’t either. Perhaps Oxford’s initial foray into democracy won’t be repeated in 2023?

It was on the back of this that, during a recent BBC interview, I was asked to sum up 2022 in one word. It is harder than you think. Go on, pause reading this article and have a go. Anyway, I chose ‘change’ as my word of the year. I think we have seen five principal changes this year:
1 With the death of Queen Elizabeth, an epoch sadly came to an end. We ushered in a new reign, our first since 1952. Huge change for our country and the wider Commonwealth as a new Head of State took the helm;
2 We saw the European peace settlement, which had broadly existed since 1945, change dramatically when Russia invaded Ukraine. The costs to the Ukrainian people and to the geopolitical and economic settlement of middle and western Europe are being felt and will be for some time to come;
3 Allied to point 2 above, the era of low interest and inflation rates which had existed since 2008 dramatically changed for the UK and most advanced global economies;
4 Our climate continued to change with the hottest and driest summer on record across Europe, devastating global floods and fires;
5 There was pretty seismic UK political change – two Heads of State and three Prime Ministers in the space of four months was an unique event by any measure – and one I never hope to see repeated.
Against the above backdrop I rather hope that my word for 2023 will be able to be ‘boring’ or ‘steady’. We all need some respite from the range and rate of change.
Turning to 2023, I will continue my regular advice surgeries. These are held in locations across North Dorset, usually on a Friday. Please email simon.hoare.mp@parliament.uk if you would like an appointment.

As we approach the end of the ‘Year of Change’ may I wish everyone across North Dorset a very Happy Christmas and every peace and happiness for 2023.
It has not been an easy year and the worries of the cost-of-living crisis are concerning everyone. Let us hope for a better 2023.