With the class studying central government at the minute, specifically right now the role of MPs within said machine, our lecturer and guide Sarah Niblock gave us the challenge of finding and interviewing an MP. For this I decided to go back to my northern roots and contacted Colin Burgon, MP for the Elmet constituency.
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For over 20 years Colin Burgon, Labour MP for Elmet, has lived and worked in his constituency. So...what does an MP's week consist of? Is it one big Westminster Party? In between the challenges of Tv aerials and Venezuelan ambassadors, and having kindly invited me to share a cup of tea, Colin Burgon spared the time to give me the low-down on his day-to-day work...
So, Mr Burgon...What would you say a typical day is like in your constituency?
In the constituency there’s no such thing as a typical day really, because the work is so varied. It ranges from meeting individuals with particular issues, to attending group residents meetings, such as the pensioners groups. There’s also more technical meetings – usually people with planning matters – and visits to workplaces or schools. It changes from day to day.
Do you visit the schools often?
I go as often as I possibly can. There’s around forty plus schools in the constituency and I’ve been to the overwhleming majority of them!
What then, is a typical day in Westminster?
It’s usually a lot more structured. I have to be there to vote after all. You can’t leave when there’s a three-line whip vote...it’s not like you can wander off through London and go shopping or anything, you just have to be there, full stop. It’s also more structured because there’s a program to follow in the chamber; plus a whole series of meetings on top of that, and people coming in to lobby you, and you lobbying for your interests. People are coming to see you day in, day out and whether you’re at home or Parliament you still have to work through the letters from constituents.
Are you lobbying anything in particular at the moment?
I’m currently involved, of all things, in Latin American issues. I met the Venezuelan ambassador yesterday, and will be meeting the Bolivian ambassador tomorrow, so it goes to show what a wide range of issues you deal with as an MP.
What’s your favourite part of being an MP?
Being involved with the people. If you don’t like people, or being around them, or get on with them particularly well you shouldn’t do the job really. Though the downside is that some people can be quite obnoxious with you.
What’s the most bizarre request you’ve had from a constituent?
Someone once complained about their TV reception. I was so bemused, I thought, well what do you want me to do, climb onto the roof and hold the aerial for you?! There’s been a number of things...some really daft issues. Though luckily you’re able to sort most of them out for people.
Actually, a thing I’m working on in Methley at the minute (that’s the constituency I grew up in – LT) is to do with the railway bridge...they’re building new houses there and the contractors ripped up some trees that were giving shelter to the houses already there, so I’m in a bit of a fight with them to try and get some new trees planted and fences put up so they’ve got that shelter and privacy back. So you can see how one day you can be dealing with the real nuts-and-bolts issues such as that, to meeting with international ambassadors! It’s a real range of work.
Thank you Colin Burgon for your time and insight!
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