'I hope that this pandemic will teach us a lesson about who we value most'

EVERY week at 8pm on a Thursday evening our country has come together to clap our key workers.

This new weekly tradition allows us to reflect on what this awful pandemic has shown us.

While many of us are working from home, that is not possible for key workers.

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This pandemic has shined a light on who we rely upon most.

It is truly moving to see our country come back together even in the worst possible circumstances to appreciate those who are doing so much for us and our families after what has been a divided time in our nation's politics.

From nurses to porters, carers to cleaners they have shown incredible resilience, keeping the country going during this difficult time so that we can keep ourselves and our families safe.

This pandemic is a virus on the scale of nothing else in human memory and we will make it through because of our incredible NHS.

It cannot be easy leaving your house every day to go to work knowing how dangerous this virus is. Yet every day in care homes and hospitals our amazing NHS staff give the most brilliant care to people in a time when they cannot see their families and need that extra support.

This is a lonely time for patients in hospitals and those in care homes.

They will be missing their families more than ever, but every day we hear stories about nurses and carers going above and beyond to make sure they are not lonely.

They make sure patients get that valuable human contact they need, for that I know we are all incredibly grateful.

I must say that I completely agree with the new Labour leader Keir Starmer that a medal should be struck to honour all they have done and will continue to do for our country.

The government in 2015 gave a medal to Britons who worked during the ebola outbreak, and coronavirus is undoubtedly as dangerous.

We must also fight to ensure that we pay our health workers and NHS staff the wages they deserve, we must always remember everything they are doing for us when we need them most.

I hope that this pandemic will teach us a lesson about who we value most in society and that what has been learnt will last long after this national crisis is over.