I am sure it will surprise no-one that THE issue dominating my inbox and post bag in recent weeks has been that of the operation of No10, the breaching of Covid rules and what it says about the integrity of the Prime Minister, and I am grateful to each and every person who has taken the time to share their thoughts with me.
The pandemic was unprecedented. Fear stalked the land. The rules were tough, and needed to be, to try to control a public health bushfire. My conscience, like the vast majority of North Dorset's, is clear. We all understood the rules applied to us all for our own goods and our communities.
I cannot begin to tell you how furious I am with everything that has come out over the last weeks. The facts made worse by the sidestepping, dissembling and equivocation. When wrong has been done: admit it. Huge damage is being done to politics and the faith people put in that process. "Do as I say not as I do"; "the rules don't apply to me" are dangerous concepts in our national political life. The lack of common sense and human decency concerning the party on the eve of the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral is gut wrenching. Forget the rules for a moment: who would think it a good idea to have a party when our Nation's flag flew at half mast over Westminster, Whitehall and the entire land. I never thought I'd live to see such tastelessness at the heart of Government.
So, if you were expecting me to defend and excuse recent events you will be disappointed. I can't and I won't.
What I do want you to have faith in is that I shall always seek to do the right thing on behalf of my decent, honest constituents. The sense of genuine outrage, coupled to the sharing of very real stories of sacrifices during the pandemic, have moved me greatly.
