Johnson had planned to use the conference this week to move on from over a year and a half of dealing with COVID-19 and focus on his promises from the 2019 election to address regional inequality, crime, and social care. However, instead of this, the prime minister is facing challenges more than nine months after Britain's exit from the European Union. He had claimed that leaving the EU would give the country more control over its economy. Now, he is dealing with issues such as people unable to find petrol, concerns from retailers about Christmas shortages, and gas companies struggling with high wholesale prices. In a statement before the conference in Manchester, Johnson did not mention these ongoing problems but instead emphasized his government's success in addressing the public's concerns. He stated that the country should not return to the way things were before the pandemic. The concept of Build Back Better entails a desire for change and improvement as the country recovers, according to the speaker. This involves making significant decisions on issues such as social care, job support, climate change, crime prevention, and addressing inequalities. The speaker reiterated the government's efforts to support businesses, preserve jobs, and implement a successful vaccination program during the pandemic. However, critics argue that this narrative fails to acknowledge early missteps in handling the crisis, particularly the delay in implementing lockdown measures. The decision to withdraw a state benefit top-up for low-income households and end a COVID jobs support scheme may also face criticism from lawmakers, especially those representing regions in northern and central England that traditionally support the opposition Labour Party.