A week in the life of an MP

This week marked the first anniversary since the 2019 General Election when I was elected as the MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge. It has been an unprecedented and challenging year for everyone, and for me personally I have had an enormous amount to learn.

The role of an MP is very varied, and most weeks I spend the majority of my time in Parliament in Westminster, with every Friday and some Thursdays in the constituency.

A few weeks ago, one of my talented team put together this video diary to give a small insight into some of my activities in a typical week, following my work both in Parliament and in Penistone and Stocksbridge.

My responsibilities in Parliament include sitting on committees, speaking in the House of Commons, working on national campaigns with other MPs and voting on legislation.

And likewise in the constituency, each week presents new opportunities to meet with businesses and local people, and despite the limitations which we have faced through the situation of the pandemic, I have been able to carry on with many surgeries and local meetings via Zoom.

As an MP, no two weeks are alike, and there are always new challenges to face. Interviews for the TV and radio sometimes come at a moment’s notice, especially with the rapidly changing situation of the coronavirus pandemic.

It certainly hasn’t been the first year that I expected, and we continue to feel the effects of the pandemic. But it has been and continues to be a privilege to serve the people of Penistone, Stocksbridge, Dodworth, Chapeltown, Ecclesfield, High Green and our villages.