They Blog For You

  I have been made the Minister for Culture, Communications and the Creative Industries. This is a long title, possibly one of the longest in Government. It also includes in effect two [...]

I was delighted to be re-elected as your MP at the general election, with an increased majority and an increased share of the vote.  It is a great privilege to serve you, and thank you for giving me the opportunity. Since then, of course, we have had one of the most [...]

I've received some very encouraging e-mails from local people over the last 24 hours.  Here's just a flavour of them...I've edited them to protect the correspondents' identity...   "Until today I have been one of those undecided and [...]

Most of the candidates in Wantage will have done 7 hustings by the end of the election: farmers, Didcot sixth formers, Wallingford, Didcot, Wantage, Faringdon and Sutton Courtenay. Didcot is tomorrow, and the most recent have been Wallingford, Wantage and Sutton Courtenay.  All were well attended, with at least [...]

I have had loads of supportive e-mails during the campaign - thank you.  Here are two that came in today that perhaps reflect the mood in Wantage: "Just a week ago, I had almost made up my mind, definitely not Gordon, unlikely David most likely Nick. But, in the past [...]

Given that Gordon Brown has put our economy on a par with Greece, perhaps he could start campaigning for us to have the same electoral system http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Greece Clear as mud... [...]

We were told this would be the internet election.  In fact it is the TV debate election, and they have dominated all discussion.  What to make of this?  First, David Cameron was absolutely right to agree to them.  Like the Commons on television, we will wonder from now on why [...]

On Saturday, I was one of four judges judging Didcot talent at the Civic Hall.  Two dance groups, two guitar soloists and three bands, and the winner was the Mojo Pins, who already have a demo tape out there.  I judged with whispering Bob Harris of Old Grey Whistle Test [...]

I went to the Wallingford Town Council dinner on Friday night.  The mayor (this year it is Dee Cripps) holds it very year and it is always well attended.  It is held in the town hall in the market place, and reminds one of Wallingford's history, with the names of [...]

The constituency I hope to represent is technically called Wantage.  Soon after being elected as the MP, I began to refer to the constituency as Wantage and Didcot.  Didcot is the largest town in the constituency, and it is also in a different district, so I felt the title better [...]

Last night the local branch of the NFU held its election hustings at the Kingswell Hotel in Harwell.  As well as me, we had the Green candidate, Labour and for the first time the UKIP candidate.  The Lib Dem candidate was an hour late, so naturally I used his absence [...]

I took part in my first TV debate on Sunday.  I am not sure if the viewing figures are yet in, but I doubt we reached 9.9 million.  I was on with Labour's Andrew Smith, the Liberal Democrats' Evan Harris, and UKIP's Nigel Farage.  The audience was allowed to clap, [...]

On Sunday, I attended the Faringdon Civic Service.  This has been re-introduced by the town's Mayor, Mike Wise.  It's a great idea, giving an annual focus for the town, building on the success of events such as the annual arts and music festival.  The church was not packed but with [...]

Wates, who wanted to build 100 houses in Winterbrook, have lost their appeal, having been refused planning permission from the Council.  This now gives us a great opportunity to go back to the drawing board, and draw up a great masterplan for Wallingford.  I very much hope the Council will [...]

Just back from Brightwell, where I hit the pub at 9am.  It was  for a two hour session with 20 villagers to discuss the future of the village - generically rather than Brightwell specific, although Brightwell obviously informed people's views.  What impact would changes in work, transport, migration, choice and [...]

Friday night was the Faringdon hustings, with Labour, Lib Dems and Greens fielding their candidates.  The question master was Henry Porter from the Observer, who a few months ago hosted a debate with me and Tony Benn, also in Faringdon, on human rights.  There were probably about a 150 people [...]

Friday saw the homecoming parade of the Counter IED Task Force at Didcot, as Didcot is the home of 11 EOD, the Regiment tasked with bomb disposal work here and abroad - which of course means Afghanistan.  It was a great and moving occasion, with several thousand people lining the Broadway [...]

It's been confirmed that Wantage will count its results on Friday, along with two other Oxfordshire constituencies, Oxford West and Abingdon and Henley.  Just 33 seats will count on Friday, 5 per cent of the total, so once again (following the polling card debacle) we have a fairly unique place [...]

As many will know, the Vale Council issued 40,000 polling cards giving the wrong address for the polling station.  Constituents in Shrivenham, for example, were told they would have to vote in Abingdon.  This has caused huge consternation, and not a little wry humour.  Those of us who have noted [...]

On Friday, I conducted my last official visits before the general election.  During the election, I will not technically be the MP, although hopefully I will be re-elected on 6th May, so I won't have any "official" engagements. I started the day at the Vibe, the youth centre in [...]