Holding MP surgeries: The Heart of Public Service

Working as your MP has been a whirlwind. It's such a varied job and there's so much to do. However, the most striking experience hasn't been speaking in Parliament, attending receptions, or addressing movers and shakers in London. It has been holding public surgeries back in Rugby.

Surgeries give members of the public the opportunity to talk directly to me, their MP, about any issue that concerns or worries them. I'm doing these advice surgeries weekly now, and I've already held eight - with many more to come – and seen more than 50 people in addition to overseeing an ever-busy inbox of email casework.

These surgeries give me the opportunity to understand the real issues that matter to local people. Constituents have been booking appointments to meet with me and my team to discuss how to resolve their concerns.

I have enjoyed engaging in productive conversations on a wide range of issues and, as long as discussions remain polite and respectful, I always welcome the opportunity to talk and listen to constituents, even when we don't always agree.

However, the majority of residents seek help with problems when other avenues have failed. On these occasions, I know my intervention can resolve the issue and make a real positive change to people's lives.

When a constituent tells me that their home is now airtight for winter after my team and I intervened, it reaffirms to me why I do this job. In this instance, my team engaged with the housing provider after previous efforts had failed, and an email from me helped to unlock decision-making and bring about a positive resolution.

It's these everyday victories that make a real difference for people.

However, surgeries can sometimes be very moving and frustrating because, however much I try, I can't always achieve the positive results constituents seek. Some people bring very personal and often tragic cases to my attention.

For instance, cases involving novel drugs with a proven benefit that haven't been approved for use on the NHS. No matter how many letters I write or ministers I lobby, this situation may change quickly enough for the constituents concerned. It's an example that leaves me very sad and frustrated.

As your MP, I witness the scale of people's problems and understand their frustration when the system fails. Whether dealing with one-off issues or systemic failures, it's my duty to address them. It's a truly humbling experience— it's real politics with real consequences. It helps me understand issues better.

I can then feed these experiences back in Westminster as I have been doing through asking parliamentary questions on the floor of the House of Commons, writing to ministers, or catching them for a quick chat in the voting lobby (this really does happen)!

I can't always achieve what people want or deliver what they need, but I can help. I am not the leader of the council or local health service. What I can do is listen and, where possible, champion people's causes and bring them to the attention of those who make the decisions.

I don't have executive power over services; an MP's power is in the ability to influence decision-makers, convene meetings with the right people, champion successes, and highlight problems very publicly in Parliament and locally. This is something I'll continue to do as your MP.

To be your MP is an honour and to listen to my constituents is a privilege - one that I will never take for granted. So, if you have a problem that you've been unable to resolve through the normal channels, do get in touch.

You're also very welcome to come to a surgery to discuss a policy issue with me. I represent everyone in the constituency, and I'm here to listen and to help.