You can feel it in the weekly shop, in rising bills, in rent, mortgages, and in the constant pressure on household budgets.

Many of us have been financially impacted by the recent bus strikes, or through ATC issues at the airport. The Iran war is putting even more pressure on due to the volatility of fuel prices.

More of us will have to watch every penny and cut back where we can, while wondering how much more we are expected to absorb - in our home lives, and also in businesses.

Meanwhile, the public sector continues to grow.

I have worked inside Government. I have seen money disappear into systems that are too slow, too bloated, and too disconnected from the real lives people are living.

That is frustrating for the public, and for many public servants who are trying to do good work in a system that often gets in its own way.

That pressure is real, and it is changing how people feel about the future.

We need:

• Government that respects taxpayers’ money and treats waste and inefficiency as real problems.

• An economy where working hard gives you a fair shot at building a life, not just surviving month to month.

• Investment in businesses so they can help create jobs, grow new sectors, and build a stronger future.

• Greater protection of our reserves and NI fund, so the pension pot does not run dry.

I will call for:

• A reduction in Government spending, through an honest look at where government is getting in its own way.

• Greater focus on the cost-of-living pressures shaping daily life for ordinary people.

• Stronger public finances, with our reserves protected and built up for the next generation.

I do not pretend to have every answer. But you do not need a degree in economics to see that our system is failing people.

I will listen, pay attention, and be honest enough to say that things need to change.