THANK you so much to everyone who voted for me, and the Liberal Democrats, to elect me as your MP and for all the messages of congratulations.

As the sun rose on that Friday morning, it was clear our campaign had excited people locally and we scored a stunning victory, winning our biggest ever majority here in any General Election and returning 72 MPs in total - the most Liberals elected to Parliament for 100 years. 

And I’m determined to use that support to work together to bring our area the success and inward investment it deserves. 

The first meeting to go into my diary is with Somerset NHS Trust to ensure I’m doing everything I can to secure renewal of our Maternity Department – where buckets are currently catching the rain from leaking roofs. Not surprising, given it was constructed for the US Army in World War Two!

All these issues, and more, are already coming into my inbox – please bear with me as I set up a new office.

If the past week or so is anything to go by, I’m going to be extremely busy.

Here’s a roundup of my first week’s work which included:

  • Made my first call after being elected to the Mayor of Wellington, followed by the Leaders of Taunton and Somerset councils to assure them of my support.
  • First meeting as MP fixed with Musgrove Park Hospital.
  • Opened and helped to staff Armed Forces Day with its 30,000 attendance (photo).
  • Met with Mr Speaker.
  • Began responding to casework enquiries.
  • Swore an oath to the King to take my seat in Parliament.
  • Reached out to Somerset MPs of other parties to promote joint working.
  • Three days training and security briefings.
  • Attended first meeting of the new Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party (a bigger room was needed!).
  • Spoke to BBC Somerset, ITV, the County Gazette and Sunday Politics Southwest.

 

⁠Did you know that, after we elected the Speaker, he was literally dragged to his chair to take up the position? Necessary, because speaking up to the monarch on behalf of the Commons used to be a very dangerous thing to do!

Once I got back to Taunton, my work was only just beginning.

Keeping my feet on the ground by knocking on doors in West Monkton at the end of the week, to listen to residents for the first time as their MP, was a particular privilege.

Thank you for the warm welcome in the village – I will be getting around the constituency as much as I can, and I’ll continue supporting the fabulous voluntary and community work done by so many readers and others.

It’s what makes Taunton and Wellington such a great place to live for my family and for all of us here.  

Finally, thank you again to all who supported me – and thanks to all the other candidates who made the campaign one of which we can all be proud.

I was also pleased to be able to thank Rebecca Pow for her service in my acceptance speech.

To those who voted for others, I will work as hard as I can to earn your trust. The priorities of care, the NHS, the cost of living and the environment I set out in the election will remain my priorities working for you as MP.

I will continue standing up to those in power on behalf of residents as I always have – I just hope it doesn’t have same consequences as it had for previous Speakers!

It is the greatest privilege of my life to be elected your MP – and the hard work has already started.