As we approach Christmas and the end of the current parliamentary term, I’m not alone among my colleagues in feeling rather exhausted at the new pace of life after a very busy, but rewarding, few months.
Last month we had a momentous, once-in-a-career vote, on the End of Life bill. I believe this showed parliament at its very best, with thoughtful contributions from every party in a significant and respectful debate.
It was a brief, sombre, pause in what has been the other dominant debate in Westminster this term: the Budget and the repercussions stemming from it.
Delivered on 30th October, it was arguably the most anticipated Budget in modern history, with many people looking to it to provide a shock to the last fourteen years of Conservative rule and deliver the hope Labour campaigned on.
Well, it certainly delivered on the first point; on the second, the jury’s still out.
While there were some decisions I welcomed in the Budget – particularly the additional funding for the NHS and local councils – there were plenty my Liberal Democrat colleagues and I disagreed with and that we’ve been campaigning hard on since to get the government to reconsider.
The NICs rise is one that particularly springs to mind, as does the family farm tax, which resulted in a huge farmer protest in Westminster in October. I am deeply concerned at the impact of both on businesses and employees in South Devon.
But away from tractors rolling through Westminster Square, there have been plenty of other activities happening in parliament that might not grab the headlines but could have a sizeable impact on all our lives.
This term was also the time when I took my seat on the Education Select Committee. One of the pleasures of my time as an MP so far has been visiting numerous schools in South Devon and hearing from pupils, parents, and teachers about the current state of our education system and what we can do to improve it. Also being quizzed by the kids - tougher than any journalist!
I have fed directly back from these visits to the committee and also to the Children’s Commissioner for England and Wales. It’s great to be able to raise the voices of teachers and school leaders in South Devon at a national level.
I also joined fellow South West MPs in a meeting with the Rail Minister, where we discussed the delays the HS2-related works at Old Oak Common will cause to our rail line for many years.
The Rail Minister has promised to address these issues and we will all be holding him to it.
I’ll also be keeping an eye on the Environment Minister to see what concrete steps he takes to address flooding issues after I raised the challenges residents in Kingsbridge are facing in the chamber. Compton has had similar problems.
Over the last six months I’ve been proud to speak on behalf of the victims of the contaminated blood scandal, pensioners worried after the cut to winter fuel allowance, parents struggling to find nursery places for their children, farmers and fishers struggling post-Brexit, and community energy projects striving to do their best for their local area but getting stuck in unnecessary bureaucratic red tape.
This is just a snapshot of what I’ve been up to. Alongside the above, my team and I have handled over 4,000 constituent cases, sent nearly 50 letters to Ministers, and participated in numerous Westminster Hall debates.
I wasn’t kidding when I said it’s been busy! But when I look back on the past few months, what I feel most is the absolute pride I have every day representing South Devon. While I’m looking forward to the holiday season, I can’t wait for 2025 to begin and for us to continue building upon the progress we’ve made so far.
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