'I like to think I work hard to represent residents'

MP for Ellesmere Port

ASK the average person in the street what they think of politicians and the sad reality is that the response is unlikely to be favourable.

I like to think I work hard to represent the interests of my Ellesmere Port and Neston residents – and I am grateful to receive regular compliments from my constituents – but it is a different story when it comes to Members of Parliament on the national stage.

Two high-profile MPs are very much under the media spotlight at the moment – they are Chester-born Matthew (Matt) John David Hancock and his former Ministerial colleague, Sir Gavin Alexander Williamson CBE, who are attracting masses of publicity for all the wrong reasons.

Not so very long ago we were used to regular television appearances by Suffolk MP Matt Hancock, in his then role of Secretary of State for Health, when he told us all how to lead our lives at the height of the pandemic. His teatime slots on the BBC and other channels became routine viewing.

We were advised, for health reasons, to limit physical contact with one another – which caused great difficulties for a good number of people. But there then followed high-profile footage of a notorious smooch between Mr Hancock and his political aide – contrary to all the rules – which ultimately led to his resignation from one of the country’s top political jobs. There are many criticisms of the way he handled the pandemic and it is to be noted that the Inquiry into the Government’s response to covid has begun again, but his blatant rule breaking eventually led to his resignation.

Since then he has been desperately being trying to find a way back to the top table; one minute he is putting his name forward to become the next Prime Minister, the next he is putting himself forward to be Chair of the powerful House of Commons Select Committee. Instead, due to a clear lack of success in revitalising his political career he is now earning big bucks by appearing on I’m A Celebrity get me out of here, following in the footsteps of another renowned Conservative, Nadine Dorries MP, in swapping their Parliamentary duties as backbench MPs for life in the Australian jungle. He should be back in the UK representing his constituents but instead has embarked on a period of unashamed self publicity which fills me with nothing but contempt for him. I suspect many of the public feel the same.

Let’s turn now to Gavin Williamson who resigned from the Government amid allegations of bullying and harassment of MPs and civil servants – he does not dispute his use of words but ‘refutes the characterisation of these claims’.

Even in hardened political circles it would not be unreasonable to classify this former chief whip as what you might describe as a tough operator, but it appears he crossed the line and despite some initial defence of him by the latest Prime Minister to appoint him, he resigned two weeks. His third cabinet comeback lasted two weeks; let us hope the next Prime Minister does not make a similar misjudgement and allow him a fourth.