Our debt to Captain Tom Moore on his 100th birthday – Dan Jarvis

It was an incredibly understated but revealing exchange. His first thoughts were for others, no hint of triumphalism, just content to play his part.

Without knowing his remarkable back story, no-one would have believed he had raised more than £12m for our NHS at that point. Now he’s on the cusp of £30m.

Today, Tom – now the holder of not one but two Guinness World Records – will reach another tremendous milestone: his 100th birthday.

Yorkshire is extremely proud to call him one of our own. Together, we say congratulations on this landmark, we hope you have a truly wonderful birthday and celebrate many more as a centenarian.

The image of Tom, wearing his regimental blazer and medals, flanked by serving members of The Yorkshire Regiment, making his way to the finish line will be ingrained in the memories of many for years to come.

The value of those 100 inspiring lengths of his back garden cannot be measured in monetary terms alone.

At a time of great uncertainty and fear, Tom’s indefatigable spirit and dogged determination gave our nation a much-needed morale boost. It is something you simply cannot put a price on.

We should be mindful that, as Tom reflects on nearly a century of memories, he is also reflecting on a momentous period for our nation. One that included the Second World War and the gruelling job of rebuilding Britain afterwards.

We are privileged that a number of veterans such as Tom are with us today. We owe them an enormous debt and, although their legacy will endure, it is important that we cherish them while we have the opportunity.

Given the circumstances, the Government was left with no other choice but to scale back next week’s commemorations for the 75th anniversary of VE Day. It is regrettable however. For many, it would have been the final opportunity to gather together.

At the beginning of the war, Tom enlisted in The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (since amalgamated to form The Yorkshire Regiment) and went on to serve in India, Burma and Indonesia.

Our country and communities across Yorkshire have the utmost respect for the service Tom and others gave. The freedoms we enjoy today are a result of their determination.

It would be wrong to liken what Tom and his comrades went through during the war with what we are experiencing now, but we can draw parallels with the post-war recovery effort.

On returning home from the war, Tom was welcomed back to a nation crippled with debt and an economy left decimated. Britain had won the war but its future was still in the balance.

Despite the uncertainty, our country chose to turn the page, not only on the violence and devastation of conflict, but also on the miserable years that preceded the war.

For millions of Britons, the 1930s was a lost decade, defined by grinding poverty, mass unemployment, the means test and hunger marches. There would be no return and instead, the post-war era became a period of renewal. The welfare state was drastically reformed and we built our proudest institution from scratch: our NHS.

When we overcome this crisis, we will have to rebuild our country once again, just as Tom’s generation did after the war. We are at a new nadir but we will need to show a similar level of collective resolve and solidarity, akin to 1945, to overcome the social and economic effects of the coronavirus.

This pandemic will leave an indelible mark on our national psyche and will change the way we live our lives forever. How we act now will decide if this impact is positive or negative.

Tom recognised this public health crisis as the greatest challenge we’ve faced in generations and chose to step forward, just as he did all those years ago when he enlisted. This time he walked to help the institution that’s been there for him for more than 70 years, at a time when we need it most.

As a country, we want to emerge from this crisis with dignity, respect and compassion. Tom’s story shows how we can achieve that aim. He represents the best of Britain and, through the recent and past contributions he has made to our country, sets an example to us all.

For now, let’s join Tom in celebrating his historic milestone and hope – as he so eloquently put it – that “tomorrow will be a good day”. I proudly join millions of others in wishing Tom many happy returns on his 100th birthday. His sacrifice now and then will never be forgotten.

Dan Jarvis is Labour MP for Barnsley Central and Mayor of Sheffield City Region. He is a former soldier.

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