The last nine months or so of living under the pandemic have been utterly awful for so many.

However, one shimmer of hope for the future is that when we come out of this - and we will - the ‘heroes’ won’t be the flag-waving pretenders who drag our country forwards and backwards on their empty slogans whilst the communities they’ve trashed continue to struggle.

They will instead be the millions who’ve grafted in all sorts of overlooked jobs - the type that too many would previously say were not ‘proper’ ones - and the scientists who have quietly, diligently, and dedicatedly, worked away on the vaccines under monumental pressure.

Some more tangible support and recognition for these people - covering everything from fair wages, job security, and the simple (but free) notion of respect - would be a change for better that we would all benefit from.

Here’s wishing readers a happier New Year. I believe 2021 will be hard, but it will be better.

Cllr Kallum Taylor, Labour, Holgate Ward Rosebery Street, York