Boundary Changes in Wales
20 Jan 2012
We have now seen how the Boundary Commission for Wales’ proposes to redraw the boundaries of Welsh Parliamentary constituencies. Wales is losing ten of its MPs – that’s 1 in 4 - so there are bound to be big changes. It means less representation for Welsh people in Parliament, and the Boundary Commission has no choice but to cut across valleys and mountains to meet the very restrictive requirements within which it has to do its work. So Cynon Valley has been split in three and Anglesey is linked to Bangor after 400 years as an island constituency.
A Game of Two Halves
13 Jan 2012
Any MP’s work is inevitably “a game of two halves” – representing the constituency in Westminster and being in the constituency to be available to and work with individuals and organisations. So my life is divided between the two ends of the M4, as is my office. My four staff help to manage the mailbag, co-ordinate my diary and act as a first port-of-call when constituents or organisations contact me. They also provide the back up for all the work that it is expected an MP will do in Westminster – scrutinising legislation, sitting on a Select Committee, and taking part in debates.
Media and the New Year
06 Jan 2012
There are three parts to our traditional New Year Media blitz : The review of last year, predictions for next year and New Year Resolutions.
The Review is the easy one because “there’s nothing that cannot be made to appear inevitable when described by a competent historian (or journalist)”. But while some reviews offer real insights, most get us no nearer to “the truth”. On the Home Affairs Select Committee, after an in-depth examination of the August riots, our report is informative and constructive, but we can’t answer the big question : “Why did the riots happen?”. After the 1980s riots Lord Scarman – with an expert team and dedicated resources – produced a superb evidence-based report. I keep asking “Why haven’t we had a similar investigation in 2011?” It’s needed.