THE events of the last year have underlined the importance of connections for every one of us. While virtual connections became more vital because of the restrictions which made face-to-face meetings difficult or impossible, physical connections – like our road and rail networks – will again be important as our economy recovers from the pandemic. Connectivity in all its forms has been a key priority for me since I became an MP here in 2015. Indeed the very first opportunity I had as a backbench MP to raise an issue at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons was used to talk about rural broadband and the importance of good, high quality, access to the internet for us in North Yorkshire.