Southern Daily Echo – 19 November 2001

Editorial

With growing concerns that Parliament has become nothing more than a rubber stamp for 'President' Blair, at least one of our local MPs it appears has set out to ensure the voice of the people is heard – often.

Dr Julian Lewis, MP for New Forest East, has spoken in the House of Commons no less than 48 times since the June general election. That record places him among the top speakers in a House where some 61 MPs have not spoken at all since taking their seats.

Anyone who knows the outspoken Tory representative will appreciate this is par for the course for a man dedicated to keeping his constituents to the fore of ministers' minds.

Whether a government with such a whopping majority is prepared to listen is, of course, another question. Yet there is no denying the people of the Forest are getting their money's worth.