Forgive me for not contributing to this excellent publication for a while now.
Perhaps, now having been your MP for a year, it is appropriate to voice my views on a few matters of both national and local interest.
Inevitably, my new job ensures that most of my time is spent in the House of Commons.
The key there is to learn how to best use it for the benefit of your constituents.
The learning curve is steep, but I am making progress.
On the national scene, I can’t recall a period where so much is happening, seemingly all at once.
From earthquakes to wars and everything in-between, the world appears unsure of itself.
Unrest across North Africa and the Middle East has spread like wild-fire.
Our planes are attacking targets in Libya and our top soldier is urging us to go further.
In the Commons, I voiced my reservation about this conflict, as did nearly all my colleagues on all sides of the House.
And while we continue to spend multi-millions of pounds on policing this no-fly zone, our country’s economic structure groans under the load of debt.
Imperilled financially, the government has no choice but to implement redundancies in the bloated public sector, while at the same time trying to preserve jobs on the coalface.
This is not a pleasurable task and none of us entered politics to see people lose their jobs, but we simply cannot go on spending money we do not have.
The government has rightly turned to the private sector to generate the wealth and sustainable jobs we need.
This will take time, and patience is needed, although I would like to see both personal and business taxes cut further.
Locally, I spend as much time as I can in Swanage, walking around the town, visiting the Conservative Club, railway, hospital and of course holding regular surgeries.
Meanwhile, the team working on a new, free school for the town continues to push on with this project, while the charity Heroes Haven has moved Heaven and earth to raise sufficient money to build a log cabin for injured servicemen and women.
A truly remarkable project.
As I said before you elected me, I maybe a Conservative, but my job is represent you all, without fear or favour, and that’s what I shall continue to do.