Last Tuesday I became 65 and, like many of my constituents, a pensioner. If I kept a diary I might have recorded something along the following lines:
“Woke, as usual during the week, at 6.30am. Cannot believe how 34 years as a Member of Parliament for a Worcestershire seat have flashed by. It seems no time at all since I addressed the sixth form at Malvern Chase, where the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, was a schoolgirl in the audience. The constituency was twice the geographic size that it is now and there were four hospitals in Malvern (if you include Powick) and two in Evesham.
Into the office at 9am. Jessica, my PA, has been there for an hour. The day’s post already laid out. Some 50 constituency letters to sign, several about the wretched renewed flooding in Worcestershire. Main concerns here are the vast increases that some people are suffering in insurance premiums and the apparent lack of action on flood defences. I am working hard to deal with both matters.
Forty or so papers and letters to read, including issues related to my role as chairman of the parliamentary party (1922 Committee) and chairman of the party’s finance committee. Even in peaceful Worcestershire, there is growing anxiety over the threatening behaviour of some youths in the Malvern, Upton-upon-Severn, Pershore and in particular Kempsey.
The telephone begins to ring. Parliamentary colleagues are phoning me about a range of policy issues as I chair a weekly meeting on policy development for the next General Election.
The first appointment at
11.30am is the political correspondent of the House Magazine, which this week will do me as its featured MP.
At, 2.30pm, it’s into the
chamber for prayers (as per every Parliamentary day). Everyone knows they can find me at this time in my seat at the top of the gangway. Afterwards, it’s back to my room.
The managing director of the Parliamentary Liaison Service arrives to discuss copy for my annual Westminster Report due to go out to all constituents in two weeks’ time.
Next visitors are the two vice chairmen of the 1922 Committee to discuss matters concerning MPs and their relationships with their constituents.
Tomorrow will be tougher; amongst other things I will chair a meeting of the Conservative Parliamentary Party. On the floor of the House I may follow up the Northern Rock affair in Prime Minister’s Questions. He didn’t give me a proper answer the last time I asked him about the matter. If I ask him about pensions, I will need to declare an interest.”