Paul Bristow interview: Joy and grief in first year as Peterborough MP

It’s fair to say 2020 hasn’t been quite the first year in the “dream job” as MP for Peterborough that Paul Bristow had hoped for after fighting back from a tough by-election defeat to claim the seat from Labour last year.

The West Town resident - who grew up in Whittlesey before heading out to new pastures - was announced as the victor on Friday, December 13, which was perhaps a fitting omen as many of his plans as MP have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

“I don’t think any of us could have thought we’d face the challenges we’ve faced as a city and as a country. Covid changed everything. It meant that everybody’s job has become more difficult or, sadly for some, impossible,” Mr Bristow told the Peterborough Telegraph in a wide-ranging interview to mark his first anniversary as an MP.

“There are plenty of things I’ve wanted to do in terms of being MP for Peterborough that I can no longer do - whether that be community engagement or going out and about and meeting with people - and there are lots of things I’ve had to do that I didn’t think I’d have to do.

“Typically, in any one year you get 1,500 items of case work and constituents coming to see you. Our case work is three-four times that level because of Covid. That ranges from people having all sorts of difficult situations personally, questions if they’re shielding, questions about the rules and businesses needing financial support in order to protect jobs and livelihoods.”

Mr Bristow is speaking to the PT in the hours before a Commons vote where he rebels against the Government over the new, tougher Covid-19 tier restrictions, in particular over rule that pubs can only service alcohol to people having a “substantial meal”.

It is a rare sign of dissent for a man who had previously been the Conservative General Election candidate in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, on top of serving as a borough councillor in Hammersmith and Fulham, although he claims not to have progression up the Tory ranks on his mind.

“I’m certainly not writing on the back of a fag packet my political career,” he said. “The only thing I’m going to be focused on for the next four years is delivering on the promises that I made to the people of Peterborough and make sure I get re-elected, because Peterborough is always going to be a tough seat.

“I want to reward those who elected me by trying to do the best job I possibly can.”

And despite siding against the Government in this month’s vote, Mr Bristow remains a vocal fan of Boris Johnson and hopes to see him return to Peterborough once social distancing becomes a thing of the past.

“I’m a huge supporter of the Prime Minister,” he said.

“This is the man over the last 18 months who has gone through becoming leader of the Conservative Party, becoming Prime Minister, getting divorced, having a baby, winning a General Election, going through Covid, recovering, and managing the biggest crisis this country has faced since World War Two.

“That’s enough for anyone for a lifetime, and he’s managed that in 18 months.

“I think he has the potential to be an absolutely brilliant Prime Minister in terms of legacy. I believe in his promises of levelling up - he’s already delivering for Peterborough - and if there’s any criticism of the Prime Minister is it’s I want to see more of him.”

Asked about what he has done for Peterborough, Mr Bristow highlights government investment of £14 million for a new research hub at the upcoming Peterborough university, as well as £23 million from the Towns Fund for projects including: a new bridge over the River Nene by the Embankment, a new library and culture hub in Bridge Street and redevelopment of the city centre.

Both of these could be “transformative” for Peterborough, he believes, and show the dividends of lobbying by both himself and North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara.

Going forward, his aim, other than to help residents in the city, is to continue to talk Peterborough up as he remains optimistic about its future.

“This is our time. We’re making decisions that will guarantee our future health, wealth and happiness and guarantee our future,” Mr Bristow added.

“I can see a situation where in 10 years’ time we look back on what happened now and realised it was a time we turned a corner. I can see highly paid jobs returning to our city centre, I can see a more confident regeneration of our city centre. We’ve talked about North Westgate since I was a child and that’s now going to happen.

“We’ve got developers across the world looking at Peterborough which is backed up with government money.

“And I can see that positivity and a tougher approach to crime benefitting our city.

“I can only see positive things for our future.

“This is the best job I’m ever going to have. I hope I have it for 24 years but there’s a chance I could only have it for four years because Peterborough is always going to be a marginal seat.

“But if in those four years I can help people feel a bit better about the city that they grew up in and our future, then that would make me very proud because I’m fed up of people talking down Peterborough, talking down my city, saying Peterborough isn’t what it used to be etc, because I think we have such a good story to tell.

“Name calling and bad words can’t hurt us, but a negative mindset can. That’s why I always use the phrase ‘proud of Peterborough’, that’s why I always highlight some of the positive things that go on in our city.

“I make no apology for going out there and praising individuals, praising businesses, praising community leaders and, occasionally, getting myself photographed with them, because that encourages other people to volunteer and go out and do good work and that’s what our city is all about.”

This is one of a five-part interview with Mr Bristow.

The remaining articles will appear at: https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/politics.