Letter from Westminster and Bristol 21st June 2009

This has been a three week period of hyperactivity, with no complete day off! The first four days were of course entirely given over to election campaigning. My sun tanned head and arms and worn out legs gave way to physical elation in the early hours of Friday 5th June when it was confirmed we had won enough seats for an overall majority. Lib Dem Leader Nick Clegg came down to Bristol on the Friday morning to help us celebrate the party's best result around the country. Gathered in the Council Chamber I remembered how when I was a young city councillor in 1995 the Lib Dems numbered just nine and faced a 53 strong Labour group.

Now we are the majority with 36 seats and Labour have been humiliated into third place behind the Tories. It's a wonderful achievement. Like all election victories it owes something to the contemporary misfortunes of other parties. But this victory is mainly based on the years of hard work by hundreds of Lib Dem volunteers. Some people were helping in their first election. Others who had waited over 20 years to see our first MP in Bristol can now take pride in a Liberal Democrat city council too.

The European Parliament election results on the Sunday were even worse for Labour, while the Lib Dems held steady. The Tories failed to achieve an election winning vote share in either the local or Euro elections. This was the backdrop to my return to Westminster after two weeks of tramping the streets of Bristol. Would Gordon Brown survive?

Who would be the new Speaker? Whatever next would be revealed by the Daily Telegraph on MPs' expenses? Would we be plunged into a general election? I guess Labour MPs decided that the latter scenario was such a dreadful prospect that they let Brown off the hook. We now seem set for months of announcement hyper-activity by the government, much of which will lead to nothing.

An example is the long overdue inquiry into the Iraq war. The Lib Dems have been calling for an investigation for 6 years but we're not satisfied with Brown's half baked proposal. Unless we can see Tony Blair giving evidence under oath we won't be able to get a true picture of events. The next week will see lots of pressure for the inquiry to be open and with power to summon witnesses. This is what a strong House of Commons would do in the ordinary course of holding the executive to account. The election of a new Speaker dedicated to reform of the Commons is essential. I intend to support John Bercow or Alan Beith as the only candidates with a real reform agenda. I dread the establishment stitch up that too many vested interests in both the other parties are trying to engineer. The House of Commons must be seen to change if there is to be a chance of rebuilding confidence in MPs.

While in Westminster I hosted a reception for financial journalists and my old profession, the Chartered Institute of Taxation. My professional training has helped keep me out of the expenses scandal! In my Shadow Minister role I asked a question at the first oral questions for the new Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. This is Mandelson's new empire - the largest ministry of modern times. I suggested investment in research funding would help innovation for the economy and save this summer's new graduates from the dole queue.

Back in Bristol I often meet innovative businesses. In this period I met with South West Screen to talk about Bristol's key role in digital new media. I also met two businesses in this field, Team Rubber and S-Cool, both of them started by Bristol University graduates. I'm convinced that part of Bristol's economic future lies in new media, IT and artistic production.

On the arts front I was amazed by the end of year show by performing arts students at Circomedia, showing their skills at St Paul's Church in Portland Square. At St Alban's Church in Westbury Park I enjoyed a concert by Bristol Male Voice Choir (such things are much appreciated by this Valleys boy!) in aid of Amnesty International. This Sunday St George's Brandon Hill was the ecclesiastical setting for a World Music Chill Out event to mark Refugee Week. Over the last four years I've probably met more refugees than anyone in the city. Last Sunday I was at Redland Parish Church for a tea to mark the restoration of the beautiful 18th century wood carvings. Finally on the arts front I haven't actually been to see the Banksy exhibition yet. But on the evening of its gala opening I was instead visiting the Abbeyfield Home in Henleaze to meet the residents who'd been working on a new set of paintings. I met them two years ago and was touched by the stories of residents in their eighties and nineties who'd discovered talents they'd never known they had. The warden has encouraged them to keep painting so I was delighted to go back and see their new works which decorate every wall in the home. Art is great for mental well being as well as lifting the spirit or just entertaining.

Three other varied Bristol events - I donned my shorts and rode my bike to St Werburghs to attend the City Farm's festival and to jointly open the new cycle path with cllr Jon Rogers. Sustainable transport is just one of the ways Bristol can respond to the challenge of our times - "Living with climate change" was the theme for the panel discussion at the Festival of Nature after the BBC's reception for the city's sustainability groups. Climate change seems to be making our summer weather more erratic - I sat in the rain watching the beating the retreat ceremony at Clifton College organised by the university officer training corps.

Back to the morning after the election. While others were no doubt having a well earned rest at home I staggered off to St Johns Worrall Rd Primary School to meet year 6 and then talk to the whole school assembly about climate change. I hope I was coherent on the back of about 3 hours sleep. Since then I've also done a Q&A with 15 year olds at Fairfield High School and with years 5 and 6 at Christchurch Clifton Primary. There was a time when you could guarantee that children would ask whether I know the Queen and the Prime Minister and also how much money I get paid. They still do. But now they ask about my expenses too....

Stephen Williams MP

Bristol West (Liberal Democrat)

Parliamentary email - stephenwilliamsmp@parliament.uk