What is clear is that the Conservative Party has lost the trust and confidence of many in the electorate - Carl Les

President Trump, elected leader of his country, if only by a narrow majority, has passed the first 100 days of his second term. According to his own rhetoric, stridently delivered, no President has achieved so much in such a short period of time.

However, contrary to his own stated intentions, the conflict in Gaza continues and he hasn't stopped the war in Ukraine with one phone call within 24 hours, although perhaps there may be some progress. He has shaken up government working, but with many Americans losing their jobs, and with Liberation Day he has put a shockwave throughout world trade.

The impact will be felt for years to come, not only with the principle of tariff setting, but also in its practical imposition as the President changes rates and timescales, even recipients, on an almost daily basis. However he has the constant support of his Cabinet, all “honoured to serve this President”. Time will tell.

Hope for the conflict in Ukraine comes about conversely because of another event, the passing and subsequent funeral of Pope Francis. Not a Catholic, I know little of how he led and changed the internal workings of the Roman church, but without doubt he was a good man. His humility was self-evident, believing strongly that leaders should serve their followers, not themselves. Who the Conclave choose to succeed him will be a defining moment both for Catholics, but also the rest of the world for that influence goes far.

The almost coincidental opportunity from Francis` funeral was that the Presidents of Ukraine and the USA could meet, almost privately, without the semblance of a TV show. It would appear that Trump now realises that the real villain here is the invader, and that even if couched in the terms of a surreal property deal, Ukraine will continue to get American support. Let's hope it stops the war. At least it should stop Ukraine losing the peace. Time will tell.

The other event that has sent shock waves through our country are the local government elections. There is no doubt that in the parts of the country where elections were held, Reform UK did very well, if not universally so, moving from a party of protest to now a party with control over people's lives.

Many commentators are debating the significance of this, and why it happened, opinion ranging from a protest vote to the end of the two party system. Local election results, unless they are fought on emotive single issues like save the local hospital, or stop the bypass, or let's build a bypass, are invariably influenced by big national events that often have little to do with local government or its powers to intervene. Only time will tell.

What is clear is that the Conservative Party, the party I have been part of since I got involved in local politics 30 years ago, has lost the trust and confidence of many in the electorate.

Years of sound decision making has been overwhelmed by a sequence of lies, misbehaviour, financial misjudgement, hyperbole, overpromising and under delivering, and disunity. That should have been called out then and must be now, and it will take time and effort to rebuild that trust. I believe it can be, but only time will tell.

What we can all agree on now is that Reform UK are no longer the critics on the sidelines. In 10 councils now they are the deliverers. Working within the law, they can make new policies, and they have made some headline grabbing statements about some issues.

Reducing the use of consultants, bringing in the auditors, but auditors in this role are financial consultants. The real costs in local government are social care for the elderly and children, special educational needs, school transport, housing. How will the new councils deal with that? Only time will tell.

In the meantime in North Yorkshire we will continue to manage the council for the benefit of all our residents, within the huge financial challenge of diminishing government support.

One event that is local to us is the creation by election of two new parish councils, fulfilling a promise we made at the time of unitarisation. Largest in the county at Harrogate and Scarborough, both politically motivated although I’m more accustomed to PC’s with no political influences. Both now will need to deliver, but I look forward to engaging with them. Only time will tell.

And the big event today, VE Day remembered, ‘Do Not Forget’.

Carl Les is the Leader of North Yorkshire Council.