Each year, Remembrance Sunday is a time to pause and reflect on the service and sacrifice of those who defended our country and secured our freedoms.
It’s a moment to come together – across towns and villages, across generations – to pay our respects and to reaffirm our promise that we will never forget.
But remembrance isn’t only about looking back. It’s also about how we honour that service in the present – by standing up for those who serve today, their families, and the communities that support them.
That’s why I was pleased that Labour’s Defence Housing Strategy will see 40,000 homes upgraded nationwide, including over 5,000 in the East of England and hundreds here in North West Cambridgeshire. Earlier this year, we secured the buyback of over 36,000 of these homes from Annington – bringing them back into public ownership. This not only ended a failed privatisation but also saves the taxpayer millions in rent each year – money that can now be reinvested in modernising and improving the homes our armed forces and their families deserve.
Anyone who has spoken with Armed Forces families will know that, for too long, the state of military housing has not reflected the level of respect we have for those who live in it. Too many have faced damp, outdated homes or long waits for basic repairs. That’s not good enough for the people who dedicate their lives to keeping us safe.
This investment is a major step towards changing that – improving the quality of homes, cutting energy costs through better insulation, and making sure service families have the security and comfort they deserve.
North West Cambridgeshire has a strong connection to the Armed Forces. Many residents are serving or have served, and the sense of pride in our military heritage runs deep. From RAF Wyton and Wittering to the veterans’ organisations and remembrance groups across our villages, that commitment to service is part of who we are.
This weekend I attended Remembrance services in Yaxley and Stilton, joining local residents, veterans and families to pay tribute to those who served. Across our region, many more communities came together in the same spirit – a shared moment of reflection and gratitude for those who put service before self.
This week’s housing announcement won’t make the headlines in the same way as national ceremonies or parades. But it’s the kind of practical action that honours the same principle: that we look after those who look after us.
By making sure every service family has a safe, comfortable home, we’re not just investing in buildings – we’re investing in people, in stability, and in the values we pause to remember every November.
Because remembrance isn’t just about one weekend of the year – it’s about how we live up to it all year round.