It has been a great honour to serve as the Forest of Dean’s Member of Parliament for the last 19 years. Although I am disappointed to have missed out by just 279 votes at this General Election, it has been a respectful campaign and I would like to put on record my thanks to my campaign team and my members of staff for all of their help and support.
I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate my successor as the Forest’s MP, Matt Bishop, and to wish him well. I am sure he will work tremendously hard to live up to the trust that the people of the Forest have placed in him. We are lucky to live in a country where we can settle our differences through argument and debate, which is not the case for many millions around the world.
You can make a huge difference as an MP, with two of my proudest achievements over the last few years being the recent opening of the new community hospital in Cinderford and the progress which has been made on the Forest’s £20 million Levelling Up Programme which will deliver improvements in Cinderford Town Centre, leisure facilities at Five Acres and new opportunities for young people at Hartpury University and Hartpury College.
Now that I am no longer the Member of Parliament, I will be unable to handle any new correspondence. If you are a resident who had an ongoing case with my office before the General Election was called, I would encourage you to get in contact with Matt Bishop, who will be able to handle your query as appropriate.
