Last weekend’s TroutNAbout in Stockbridge was the most fantastic event, and one I have enjoyed attending for years. 

It is worth reflecting that it was the brainchild of a brilliant team of volunteers who put in an enormous amount of work to make it happen. 
This year was the first year there was a road closure of the High Street, which I thought worked well, but I am prepared to acknowledge I was there first thing, before it got really busy (which I am assured it did).

I have been asked by one of my constituents to outline the role of the Deputy Speakers of the House and how it has changed my role as Romsey and Southampton North’s Member of Parliament. The short answer is nothing has changed, I remain a committed constituency representative, and whilst I can no longer raise issues in the Chamber or via Parliamentary questions, I can still directly raise local concerns with Ministers. Over the last 14 years I have always used a mixture of methods by which to secure action for my constituents. For the three years I was a Government Minister I was not able to ask PQs, speak in debates unless I was responding on behalf of the Government, enter the Private Members Bill ballot or sign Early Day Motions. Given that EDMs are often described as “parliamentary graffiti” which achieve nothing, not even a Ministerial response, I am not sure that being unable to sign them is any loss at all.

Direct contact with Ministers is always the most effective way to get something done, and in my new politically impartial role I will have better access to Government Ministers than any opposition backbench MP would have done. What I most certainly will miss is my Select Committee role, which I have loved over the past four years. That certainly gave me a platform on which to campaign, whether for disabled people, on women’s health, defending the rights of older people, or championing getting young people with learning difficulties into work. It was a role that also gave me the opportunity to appear a lot on the media, and I am sure it will be a relief to some that I can no longer opine on party political issues on television. Although this week I am looking forward to an appearance on Times Radio on World Cat Day, although I think I have to advocate in favour of dogs in the “low stakes debate”. Given Luna’s starring role in some of my General Election material I think it would be a stretch to champion cats, although I did at least see mine this week, which makes a change, she’s usually very invisible.

Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP,
Member of Parliament for Romsey and Southampton North