News Item
| A Message from Tim Boswell MP |
Our political system is unpredictable, but we do know that a general election will take place within the next six months. It is over three years since I announced that I would not be standing again for Parliament as I am now 67, have served for twenty two and a half years and know that constituency boundaries will be altered radically to create a new Seat of South Northamptonshire and transform the Daventry Constituency itself. I have greatly enjoyed my time as your MP, and I hope I have been able to help you. But now the time has come to step down.
I am sorry that this has come at a time when Parliament’s reputation has been stained by the expenses scandal. There is no doubt that we must take urgent action with a completely different independent regulator, to put this behind us and restore credibility for the Parliament following the General Election.
Some of these problems are rooted in the very varied life and responsibilities of an MP. In the constituency locally you see your representative as someone who may be able to "get things done" or at least to listen to problems and appear at local functions. Life at Westminster - for half of the week - seems remote and the world of policy making and legislation strange and confusing.
Yet the two halves should support each other. I can do my Westminster job better with real evidence of the problems and experience in the local community. I have often become interested in issues and spoken on them because someone locally had raised them with me. At the same time all the policy experience I have collected can be brought to bear on the problems of constituents.
As far as I am concerned they come first, as I am elected to represent them all as best I can. One of the great “hidden” problems locally is that of geography. Those of my constituents living on the Leicestershire border or next to Milton Keynes use a completely different set of public services to those (including myself) just inside the border of Northamptonshire with Oxfordshire. Many of us go out of county for important healthcare etc., and it makes it difficult to relate to Northampton let alone our regional centre at Nottingham! So life becomes an exercise in finding the right people to sort out cross-border problems.
There have been particularly difficult problems recently with the current Government’s proposals for expansion in "Milton Keynes-South Midlands" with the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation involving Daventry and Towcester with Northampton. I remain very worried at the pace of change with infrastructure lagging behind housing development and in any case with huge pressure on delivering public services such as Schools, Job Centres and Post Offices. The present recession increases the need for these services but reduces the funding available.
At Westminster, while I have done work in the finance and economics side, I have been increasingly drawn to the "people" agenda, beginning with my time as Minister in the previous Government in the Education the Agriculture departments. Bureaucracy seems harsh and unfriendly and above all we need to find ways to reconnect the “system” with the people it serves, including young people.
I believe for example that human rights should not be distorted towards criminals and terrorists but means treating everyone decently and with respect and compassion. I personally feel this transcends any political ideology.
To draw this message to a close I would like to express my thanks to all those who have helped me on this long journey. This includes other elected members, including councillors at all levels, all those who work in public services, including education, health and councils and the emergency services, those including my friends and my own family who have campaigned with me and all my constituents who have had a constructive relationship with me.
As to my eventual successors, I hope they will recall this too, because for all the "pomp and glory" of Westminster our political system depends on local connections and local involvement.
I have been very fortunate to have lived in Northamptonshire for well over 40 years (nearly twice as long as I have served in Parliament) so I go out with many pleasant personal memories. I have done my best to serve you and I know that inspite of the changes which have taken place, that will remain the main task of my successors as MPs.
My best wishes to you all.
Tim Boswell MP |
| Dated |
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