Last year, the pandemic meant that national Remembrance Day commemorations had to be scaled back or cancelled. I am glad that this year, on the Royal British Legion’s centenary, I was able to join the other Newcastle MPs, Catherine McKinnell and Chi Onwurah in paying my respects at the Newcastle city war memorial to those who have lost their lives fighting for British values around the world.

Over the last year our armed forces have shown that they are crucial to the Nation’s security, from airlifting British Nationals out of Afghanistan to driving NHS ambulances in Wales. I thank them all.