jgale | 
21 May 2010 at 08:31 | 2007 views
This is my first article for the Western Gazette since the last Parliament was dissolved in early April, and a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then.
So much has happened that my memory is a bit of a blur, and I am left with a series of impressions rather than a detailed sense of time and order. This is not helped by having an average of about 3 hours sleep each night for the last 2 weeks!
What impressions am I left with of the last 6 weeks? Well, firstly, endless knocking on doors in our area, of course, to ask for your support. The kind words of many, and the robust challenges of others. Rain and cold in the early part of the campaign, and sun later. Those Leaders debates, including being with Nick Clegg in Bristol and Birmingham for the second and third occasions. His courage in the face of the huge pressure of these occasions.
What else? Well certainly the count on election night at the Westland’s Centre in Yeovil. The shock at the size of our majority, and my sense of gratitude and responsibility to those who supported me. David Heath winning in Somerton and Frome, and the very gracious speeches by his Conservative and Labour challengers.
Then a car journey back to London, listening to the disappointing Liberal Democrat results from parts of the country. Arriving in London at 6am on Friday morning, and waiting for Nick Clegg to return from his own count in Sheffield. Nick’s speech to rally Party workers on the staircase in Cowley Street – fighting back the disappointment that he expressed to us moments later in the privacy of a side room (“That was the toughest speech of my life”.)
A Hung Parliament. The start of negotiations with the Conservatives in the Cabinet Office – with William Hague, George Osborne, and Oliver Letwin. The media scrum. More TV cameras and “snappers” than I have ever seen before.
Endless negotiations and Party meetings. Meeting the Labour negotiating team – Peter Mandelson, Lord Adonis, Ed Balls, Ed Miliband and Harriet Harman – a divided team with very different agendas.
Watching Gordon Brown resign from a television in the Cabinet office while a helicopter hovered over head, waiting for our negotiations to end.
Lib Dem MPs agreeing to the Coalition document, and my pride in the policies we have agreed, on which we can now deliver in Government.
The call from the Downing Street switchboard: “Would you be able to see the Prime Minister in 30 minutes time?” The journey up 10 Downing Street – meeting Vince Cable in the waiting room. Seeing the PM. Being asked to take on the role of Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Around to the Treasury to meet the Chancellor.
My first decision in the Treasury – axing my chauffeur driven black Jaguar car, to save over £110,000 per year. How could I justify this spending while there is so much to cut?
First Cabinet Meeting. To Buckingham Palace to see the Queen with the entire Cabinet. Kissing hands with the Queen and joining the Privy Council. Second decisions in the Treasury. Blocking plans to cut budgets I think should be safeguarded.
Attending the National Security Council, with the heads of MI5 and MI6 to discuss the most sensitive and secret aspects of national security. My second Cabinet. Meeting with Secretaries of State to agree their budget cuts.
And now, back to write this article for you, my constituents, to whom I am ultimately accountable.
I now have a very big responsibility in Government, and I am conscious of that responsibility every hour of the day. There is a very tough job to do, and I will have to take some unpopular decisions. But I have more chance of getting the right decisions from inside the Government than from the outside. And at least our country now has the stable Government which it needs in these uncertain times.
I am proud of our policy agreement – fairer taxes, restoring the pensions earnings link, a greener Britain, restoring civil liberties, helping the most disadvantaged pupils, cleaning up politics – and I want to help deliver it.
But I also repeat the pledge I made on election night two weeks ago – I will go on trying to serve every member of my constituency in the same way as I have sort to over the last 10 years.
Thank you for the trust which you have placed in me. I will try to deserve that trust over the difficult years to come,
Ever,
David.