We've lived for eleven months with a Brexit deal that's thinner than Tiny Tim. The UK has been crippled by Covid, a cost-of-living crisis, and supply chains on the brink of collapse. Boris Johnson's government is limping towards its third year in power.
And now there's a question over whether we'll be able to drink to a better one in 2022, thanks to this Government's inability to effectively tackle the supply crisis. But there's no shortage of turkeys in the Cabinet - and thanks to them, no shortage of legislation for us to campaign against, either.
At Best for Britain, we started the year determined to sleigh the bad Brexit deal. Through the work of the UK Trade and Business Commission, we've presented to the Government, business leaders and even Frosty the No Man a suite of recommendations on how to improve the UK's trading position. As they sow division with our nearest neighbours, we're keeping the EU-ltide spirit alive and, once again, our new year's resolution will be to keep pushing for a truly global UK.
While our Prime Minister's approach to international relations is definitely naughty, he's not much nicer at home. His gift to the nation? A flurry of bills that are damaging our democracy, including the Elections Bill, the Policing Bill, the Judicial Review and Courts Bill and the Nationality and Borders Bill. This insidious power grab will give Ministers the power to stifle opposition; rig elections in their favour; and limit the power of individuals across society to hold power to account. Merry Christmess everyone.
But of course, we won't let them get away with it. We've been campaigning hard all year to protect our democracy and uphold these fundamental rights and freedoms. We're asking progressive parties to work together at the next election to defeat this Government, and we're advocating for electoral reform to make the system work equally for everyone.
And given it's the season of goodwill and cheer, there are some real wins we can celebrate. As the secretariat for the APPG on Gaps in Support, we successfully campaigned for around 600,000 more people to be able to apply for the self-employed income support scheme during the height of the pandemic. Our campaign against the Policing Bill, begun in March, helped kickstart a tidal wave of opposition to Priti Patel's anti-protest measures that bridged the Brexit divide. And after more than 30 hours of live evidence heard by the Commission, we have the research and the tools to start dismantling the Government's nativist agenda.
There is hope for next year. We're confident the movement towards a better, fairer future, with stronger international ties and a robust democracy at home, will continue to grow. But we can't do it alone. Every penny raised by our Christmas line will go towards Best for Britain's campaigns, helping us to hold this Government to account. In many ways, this year has been a ho-ho-horrorshow. It's snow wonder when you look at who's leading our country. But together, we know that 2022 will be brighter.