I’m back from a week in the Maldives and a day in Dubai, and the experience has really made me think about Britain. The Maldives is one of the countries most exposed to rising sea levels. Yet what did I actually see? I saw land being reclaimed from the sea and entire new urban areas being built. Hulhumalé, for example, was created through land reclamation and is now being developed into a major planned city. Whatever your views on climate change, there is something to be said for looking at what countries actually do in response to difficult circumstances: they adapt, they build and they invest. Then there was Dubai. What struck me wasn't just the extraordinary buildings. It was the sheer pride people seemed to have in their country. Flags were everywhere. People were incredibly polite. The streets were clean, public spaces were immaculate and there was greenery everywhere lawns, gardens and landscaped areas being maintained in a climate where keeping things green clearly requires enormous investment. And most importantly, it felt safe. You didn't see police officers everywhere, but there was an obvious understanding that there are rules and that those rules are enforced. People knew the boundaries and appeared to respect them. Then I arrived back in Britain. The contrast genuinely shocked me. We have enormous advantages: a long-established democracy, world-class institutions, extraordinary history, talented people and enormous potential. Yet too much of the country looks dirty, neglected and run down. We seem to spend enormous amounts of money while struggling to deliver the basics. We talk endlessly about targets, restrictions and net zero, while at the same time struggling with housing, infrastructure, productivity and public services. And I’m not suggesting for one minute that the Maldives or Dubai are perfect. They clearly aren't. Nor am I saying Britain should simply copy them. But perhaps we should ask ourselves a simple question: Why do some places seem so determined to build, invest, maintain their cities, enforce their laws and create an environment where people feel proud and safe while Britain increasingly seems incapable of doing the basics? Walking around Dubai, I couldn't help noticing how proud people seemed of where they lived. The flags were everywhere. There was a sense of order. People were polite. The place was clean. It felt safe. Then you come home and see litter, neglected streets, failing infrastructure and a general sense that we have somehow lost confidence in ourselves. I don't believe Britain needs to become Dubai. I don't believe we should ignore climate risks either. But there is a huge difference between taking sensible measures to deal with genuine environmental challenges and allowing political arguments about net zero to become an excuse for failing to build, invest, grow and improve people's everyday lives. Countries can adapt. Countries can innovate. Countries can build. Countries can enforce the law. Countries can take pride in themselves. And countries can make their cities clean, attractive and safe. After a week in the Maldives and a day in Dubai, coming home to Britain was a bloody eye-opener. We shouldn't be accepting decline as inevitable. Britain is capable of so much better than this.