Arriving on the 16th of December, Alicia was given a security pass, a laptop, keys to a temporary locker, lots of legal paperwork, and then off she went!
Most of her first week was spent in inductions, learning the courtesies of the Chamber, how to navigate the procedures and systems of Parliament; and even the rules around where you should and shouldn’t sit on the green benches.
She's already started replying to the many bags of post and emails from constituents. She has her constituency office staff in place, and has begun hiring her London staff. She will be keeping an office locally in Melton, which you can always call if you have any issues to raise.
Alicia has already started campaigning: she's recruited many fellow MPs to support a campaign to end rural disadvantage, and spoken to many local colleagues about how to make the A1 safer.
She's tabled questions for the New Year on getting new GP surgeries for Oakham and Melton, opportunities for our farmers after Brexit, changing how we fund local services, and is about to table a question with the Attorney General to tackle fly-tipping. She has also started investigating the quality of pies in the parliamentary restaurants - they don't seem to be of good Melton Mowbray stock!
Her first vote as your MP for Rutland and Melton was to vote through the EU Withdrawal Agreement. Getting Brexit Done was the Number One issue raised with us on the doorstep during the election, and there was understandable frustration with the previous Parliament’s delay and obstruction. With this vote we can restore trust in Parliament and start to bring back decency to public debate. With this vote, Alicia has helped to heal the divisions in our communities, and as Conservatives we are united behind a unified and exciting agenda.
Alicia continues to do the most important work of all: helping our communities. These are the silent victories that will matters most of all - helping a young family who urgently needed a new home, a challenging issue in the community, and supporting a resident who had been let down by bureaucracy and had nowhere else to turn. She is working tirelessly to help individuals, families and communities who need her to advocate for them, and encourages everyone to get in touch with the constituency office if they have a problem that needs to be resolved.
Thanks to all for their support, kindness and many hours spent supporting Alicia and the Conservative team in Rutland and Melton. The Conservative team will be out knocking on doors every month and hope you will join us. We need to be out listening to our neighbours and communities all year round, not just at election time.
