Johnson had hoped to use the conference this week to move past over 18 months of dealing with COVID-19 and focus on his promises from the 2019 election to address regional inequality, crime, and social care. However, the prime minister is now facing challenges more than nine months after Britain's exit from the European Union, which he believed would give the country more economic freedom. Instead, he is dealing with issues such as fuel shortages, concerns about Christmas supplies, and gas companies struggling with rising wholesale prices. In a statement before the conference in Manchester, Johnson did not mention these current problems, but instead emphasized his government's accomplishments in addressing the public's priorities, stating that the country did not endure COVID-19 to return to the way things were before the pandemic. The concept of Build Back Better involves making changes and improvements as we recover, focusing on priorities such as social care, job support, climate change, crime prevention, and leveling up. The government claims to have done everything possible to support businesses during the pandemic and protect jobs, while successfully implementing a mass vaccination program. However, critics argue that this narrative ignores early missteps in handling the pandemic, such as hesitating to implement lockdown measures. Some lawmakers, particularly from regions traditionally aligned with the opposition Labour Party, may criticize the government's decision to withdraw a top-up to a state benefit for low-income households and end a COVID jobs support scheme.