Page 22 - July2023
P. 22

July 2023                                                                           July 2023
       NEWS FROM WESTMINSTER
                                                                                           For Betsy Loveless of Tolpuddle (1835)

        My  work  has  been  very  varied  this  month  –  both  in                        My dearest darling Betsy, I work to earn our keep.
        Parliament and here in Dorset. In Parliament I brought
        forward  the  Retained  EU  Law  Bill  on  behalf  of  the                         I toil until the sun goes down. I plough, I sow, I reap.
        Government,   and   was   involved   in   several                                  I plough, I sow, I reap to put a roof above our head,
        Parliamentary  debates  for  that.    I  also  answered                            With children to be clothed, and a family to be fed.
        questions  at  the  despatch  box  with  the  Attorney                             I work to earn our keep, but they have taken me away,
        General,  on  a  range  of  issues  including  fraud,  and
        prosecutions of people who have committed serious                                  And that is the only reason, I am not with you today.
        violence.  You  can  watch  my  contributions  on  my
        website or YouTube channel. I’ve also had meetings                                 My dearest darling Betsy, it has never been so tough.
        and  correspondence  with  Ministers  and  other                                   The farmer cuts my wage, as if I do not do enough.
        colleagues  to  discuss  both  Parliamentary  issues,  and  also  to  raise  important   The farmer cuts my wage and there is nothing I can say.
        constituency concerns.
                                                                                           I turn my collar to the cold. I bend my knee to pray.
                                         I  was  pleased  to  able  to  welcome  the       It has never been so tough, for they have taken me away,
                                         Minister  for  the  Environment  to  Dorset  to   And that is the only reason, I am not with you today.
                                         see  Poole  harbour,  and  discuss  nutrient
                                         management  and  migration,  pollution,           My dearest darling Betsy, be courageous and be strong.
                                         and  the  role  of  farmers  near  the
                                         harbour. We have already discussed the            There will never be another, to whom I do belong.
                                         oil  spill,  and  I  know  she  is  working  hard   There will never be another, to whom I will be true.
                                         to  ensure  a  thorough  investigation  into      There will never be a moment when I do not think of you.
                                         what happened.                                    Be courageous and be strong. They have taken me away,
                                         I  was  delighted  to  visit  award-winning       And that is the only reason, I am not with you today.
                                         Wareham  Forest  Touring  Park  to  hear
        about  their  sustainability  aims,  and  to  see  their  tranquil  site.  Over the next                             Paul J Openshaw (March 2023)
        few  months,  I  will  be  running  my  “Spotlight  on  Mid  Dorset  and  North  Poole”
        initiative.  I  want  to  put  a  spotlight  on  some  of  the  amazing  organisations,
        businesses, and places across the constituency. If you would like to be included,   Crocodile                          I do not know what he expected,
        please do get in touch – send me a photo, let me know what you can offer to                                            After bringing it home from the shop,
        local people, or ask me to come and visit. As your MP I get to meet an incredibly   When I left home, the first job I did,
        wide variety of people, and visit lots of brilliant businesses and charities. I want to   Was to learn how to milk a cow.   But when an idea came into his head,
        make sure that everyone knows about you – so please do get in touch!                                                   He didn’t know when to stop.
                                                                                           It was on my list of things to do.
        I’ve  also  had  lots  of  contact  with  children  and  young  people  this  month.  I’ve   It isn’t on there now.    I wonder what the bin men thought,
        been  quizzed  by  a  school  group  visiting  Parliament,  and  have  visited  several
        schools in the constituency. I’ve also talked to sixth formers about being an MP   The man to whom I was apprentice,   As they caught a glimpse of its skin,
        and  Solicitor  General,  and  the  work  opportunities  within  the  Government  and                                  When,  needless  to  say,  the  crocodile
        Civil Service. My office have hosted a group of work experience students – giving   Was a little bit weird in his head.   died,
        them an insight into the work of an MP, and of my staff.                           For a pet, he kept a crocodile,     And ended up in the bin.
                                                                                           In a bath tub, in his shed.
        Over  the  summer I  am  looking forward  to spending some  time with  my  family,
        and also to being out and about across Dorset and Poole – hearing from you,                                                      Paul J Openshaw (May 2023)


                                        22                                                                                       59
   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27