Paul Bristow: My first six months as your MP

The first item is obvious. Our politics had seen three years of chaos, uncertainty and betrayal. The Prime Minister forced an election with the promise to sort out the mess in Westminster. We got Brexit done and left the EU. I was proud to make that historic vote in Parliament. It was my introduction to voting and there is plenty to learn as a new MP. You also need to be effective from day one, hire the right staff and develop strong relationships with local institutions – like the City Council and NHS. One of my priorities was to make Peterborough’s voice heard in the House of Commons. I have spoken in the chamber about our city hospital, policing, autism, the hospice at Thorpe Hall, the UK’s role in a changing world, parity of esteem for social care staff, and Peterborough’s economy. Much of the real work in Parliament happens in committees. I was pleased to be elected to the Health and Social Care Select Committee, which holds the government department and agencies to account and examines policy. The Coronavirus emergency put the Select Committee into the media spotlight. We have been kept busy, investigating the response to COVID-19, its effect on our NHS and social care system and, more recently, the impact on other NHS services. Another avenue is through All Party Parliamentary Groups. There are hundreds of APPGs, mostly doing good, unsung, cross-party work. The temptation is to join too many and end up being ineffective. I have tried to join those where I can do something relevant. For example, so many families in Peterborough need more support with autism and learning difficulties. I am the Vice Chair of the APPG on Autism, which allows me to campaign more effectively on these issues, and on the groups for Dementia, Pharmacies and Motor Neurone Disease. Britain needs to grasp the opportunities of Brexit around the world. I have become a Vice Chair of the APPGs on Australia, Canada, the Commonwealth, Kashmir and CANZUK (the initials of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK). Obviously, the most important part of my work is here in Peterborough. I am out-and-about as much as possible, campaigning for better services, promoting local charities and supporting our economy. During this emergency, I have tried to thank everyone who has done so much work to support vulnerable people. No city has come together like Peterborough. In a normal year, an average MP communicates with around 1,500 constituents. So far in my first six months, my office has almost doubled this, handling a huge volume of emails. We have helped people from Peterborough return to the UK from Peru, Pakistan, Australia, India, Egypt, New Zealand and Morocco and many other countries besides. Working with colleagues, I have managed to get extra money for the Sue Ryder hospice at Thorpe Hall, charities like Little Miracles who support families with disabled children, and crucially for the City Council so they can continue to provide support services. We have worked with local businesses to get them access to support, plus our voluntary groups, like the Sea Cadets. Just this week, we learned that 13,200 jobs in Peterborough have been protected through the Government’s furlough scheme. All of this – in a year of joy and sadness. The birth of my second daughter came only two days after my election. But tragically my father died in April – at least he saw me serve the city he loved. This is the best job that I will ever have. I will continue to give it my best.