I’m sorry if I sound a bit nostalgic this week, but I’ve just celebrated the 15th anniversary of my first election to Parliament – on April 9, 1992.
In many ways, the job has changed significantly in those 15 years, but some things are strangely similar.

The biggest change must be communications. Back in 1992 the letter was king, while faxes seemed set to grow in importance. I still get about the same number of letters every day as I did then – and the same numbers of telephone calls – but the handful of faxes has dwindled to almost nothing, to be replaced by an avalanche of e-mails – sometimes as many as 200 in a single day.
Fifteen years ago, my wife, Julia, managed the office on an electronic typewriter, before moving on to a single computer with that awkward WordPerfect programme.
Now we have PCs in London and Worcestershire and two additional members of staff to cope with the massive increase in correspondence that e-mail has created.
The people who attack MPs for having massive expenses would probably be the first to complain if their letters or e-mails weren’t replied to quickly!
It can’t be said too often – and despite the nonsense Chris Moncrieff regularly writes in this paper on the subject – that those expenses bring not a penny of personal benefit to individual MPs, but just let them do their job.
The problems of tax credits, the Child Support Agency, the Immigration and Nationality Department, the NHS and so on generate more casework than ever because this Government has made everything more complex. So, although politicians are probably, and unfairly, held in lower regard than ever, we are busier than ever too.
It’s easy to knock us, and there are things I would like to change about aspects of the way we work, but I know the vast majority my colleagues, of all parties, are conscientious and diligent in the defence of their constituents.
Two things, though, are the same in 2007 as they were in 1992. The people of Worcestershire remain as courteous and grateful as ever for whatever help I am able to give them, and this means a great deal to me and to everyone who works with me.
And the political landscape is strangely familiar.
In 1992, within a few months of my election, you could sense the nation’s mood move decisively against the party in power.
It was time for a change.
Now in 2007, that mood is back with a vengeance, and I can’t wait for the next general election!