A year ago this week, I walked into the House of Commons for the first time as your Member of Parliament – a daunting start to the day but a moment that will remain one of the proudest of my life. Having just endured six weeks of a brutal and exhausting election campaign, you are thrust straight into the job of hiring a team and creating a functional office to serve your constituents. You won’t be surprised to know that sometimes things happen slowly in Parliament and, while you might be given you a laptop on day one, it took over two months before I was allocated my own desk to work from!
Since then, it has been a very busy 12 months. Locally I have now taken up over 4,000 individual cases and, in Parliament, I have spoken over 50 times in the Commons and asked more than 500 written questions to hold the Government to account.
My average working week sees me travel down to London on a Monday morning and back on a Thursday evening so that I can undertake constituency duties on Fridays and Saturdays. I try to take Sundays off to spend time with the family but it’s not always that simple!
Last autumn, I was lucky enough to be elected by my Parliamentary colleagues onto the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, which is the body responsible for scrutinising the work Defra and its ministers. Given the enormous controversy that the Government has created in rural policy, such as the changes to inheritance tax for farmers, it has been a brilliant opportunity to get stuck into the detail of some big issues.
In addition, I have since been appointed to the role of Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Although this probably means I have the longest job title in British politics, it is junior role that has given me a great chance to learn more about the work of the Cabinet Office and the on-going challenges facing Northern Ireland.
I was also selected to take part in the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme with the RAF, which means I spend a couple of Thursdays each month at a different base learning about the challenges facing our servicemen and women. It has given me a fascinating insight into military life and the purpose is to ensure that we as lawmakers in Parliament are better equipped to make informed decisions about the UK Armed Forces.
I am very lucky to have such a great team working with me to try to ensure that I can fulfil my roles as both your representative in Westminster as well as being a diligent local Member of Parliament. We are looking forward to moving to a new and more accessible location in the centre of Driffield in the coming weeks.
I’m not sure anyone is ever quite prepared for what you take on as an MP but, as I walk over Lambeth Bridge each morning with the Palace of Westminster in full view, I am always reminded of the enormous privilege of doing this amazing job. I look forward to continuing the hard work into my second year and, as ever, if there is anything I can help with please do not hesitate to get in touch: [email protected]
