Life for a new MP
If ever I thought that MPs spent their time drinking champagne, going for long lunches and rising to make the odd speech then this week has completely disabused me of the notion.
From the moment we arrived on Monday morning until leaving after taking the oath on Thursday it was a non stop marathon of induction courses, lectures on how to behave, and one to one chats with various people including the police who gave me an implement for opening mail and graphic description on what might lie therein.
The old timers told us that we are lucky. In their day there was no induction course and members were left to drift aimlessly around finding out for themselves where everything was and what they were supposed to be doing. Sometimes it would take months!
One thing I find very frustrating is the lack of an office - one will be allocated to me in "a few weeks." I have never shirked from criticising the Welsh Assembly but in fairness within minutes of arriving we were given an office with phones and a computer so that we could start dealing with the mail.
Fortunately Nigel Evans MP has taken pity and allowed me the use a corner in his office so replies are starting to go out to those who have written - as many have.
Priority will go to letters from constituents - even the one who believes that Monmouthshire is English and that those of us who live here have been the victims of a wicked conspiracy which has seen us annexed into Wales against our wishes! If he is reading this he might find the following link informative http://www.oakdalevillage.net/history3.html )
From the moment we arrived on Monday morning until leaving after taking the oath on Thursday it was a non stop marathon of induction courses, lectures on how to behave, and one to one chats with various people including the police who gave me an implement for opening mail and graphic description on what might lie therein.
The old timers told us that we are lucky. In their day there was no induction course and members were left to drift aimlessly around finding out for themselves where everything was and what they were supposed to be doing. Sometimes it would take months!
One thing I find very frustrating is the lack of an office - one will be allocated to me in "a few weeks." I have never shirked from criticising the Welsh Assembly but in fairness within minutes of arriving we were given an office with phones and a computer so that we could start dealing with the mail.
Fortunately Nigel Evans MP has taken pity and allowed me the use a corner in his office so replies are starting to go out to those who have written - as many have.
Priority will go to letters from constituents - even the one who believes that Monmouthshire is English and that those of us who live here have been the victims of a wicked conspiracy which has seen us annexed into Wales against our wishes! If he is reading this he might find the following link informative http://www.oakdalevillage.net/history3.html )
posted by David Davies AM at 2:25 PM
8 Comments:
Well done my friend, though I was particularly interested in yesterday's WoS article describing your lorry driving days. Since when was a "Nissan Cabstar" ever a lorry!
Nevertheless, well done. Superb.
All the best
Gareth (Dupre)
fellow driver from the old days
The cabstar wasn't really a lorry but I had the HGV1 and went out on big ones as well if required.
We used the Nissan for the Lucas Girlings jobs because they wanted everything done in a hurry and there was no need to carry a tacograph.
Anyway its good to hear from you again Dubba. Perhaps I should rename this blog Burrow Heath drivers reunited.
http://www.thesharpener.net/?p=24
Things on PR
I mean propotional representation, as opposed to Public Relations - It seems to be something that needs doing - electoral reform et al.
Hooray for proportional representation. I'd even back Dipstick if she proved me wrong and stood up for something.
To asnwer Mark's question I am spending a great deal of time on Assembly business. Now here is a question for him:
Does he think that MPs and AMs should be entitled to a Ministerial salary on top of their MPs salary? http://www.parliament.uk/faq/pay_faq_page.cfm
And if he still doesn't like the idea of a dual mandate perhaps he should save his vitriol for those who set up the Welsh Assembly in the first place and argued for the right to a dual mandate!
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo980722/debtext/80722-39.htm
If I had had my way there would be no Assembly at all, I am playing by the rules set by Labour with the support of the Lib Dems and Plaid.
To quote from your blog your comments "are not party political - they would apply to AMs/MPs from any party."
So you must have contacted every one of the hundred or so government ministers starting with Tony Blair to ask them why they are a getting paid huge sums of money on top of their MPs salary.
(Far far more than I get)
The fact that they are spending a great deal of time on Ministerial business, by default, means that they cannot be spending ALL of their time as an MP. This cannot be good for the people of their constituancies.
I am sure you did contact them because you are making a "non-political" point.
Tell me Mark what did they say to you when you contacted them? - I am really keen to know!
While you were at you must also have contacted all of the Labour and Plaid Cymru MPs who became AMs a few years ago what did they say Mark?
Look forward to hearing the answers.....
On another point I don't really see how you can want to abolish the Assembly and devolve more powers to Cardiff Bay. You either get rid of the Assembly, keep it as it is or turn it into a Parliament.
Mark. With the utmost respect you have not really answered my point about Ministers.
In your blog you said it was not possible for me to spend my time as and AM and an MP. In fact it is far easier for me to do this than for a government Minister to spend time as an MP and a Minister.
A Minister is expected to spend at least four days a week working as entirely as a Minister. That does not leave much time for being an MP.
The Assembly only schedule 7 hours of debate a week (when not in recess.) Most of the job is dealing with constituency casework.
I am glad you feel I have done a good job up until now in representing your interests in the Assembly.
I have only been in situ as the MP for a fortnight. I was one of the first MPs to give a maiden speech, I am dealing with the mail despite having no office or phone, I have just finished a very big surgery in Usk, I think I am still giving a reasonable service.
If you think I am going to let the lunatics get away with things in the Assembly then you don't know me very well.
At least give me a few months before you jump to conclusions.
Post a Comment
<< Home