Thank You.

In the early hours of Friday, May 7th I became the next Member of Parliament for the Devizes Constituency.    I was elected with over 55% of the vote, giving me a majority of over 13,000 (slightly up on the 2005 result adjusted for the substantial boundary changes at this election).  This was a wonderful and unexpected result and one for which I must thank many people.

First, "thank you" to all the people in this wonderful Constituency who took the trouble to vote in last week's election. Turnout rose both locally (up more than three percentage points to 68.9%) and nationally proving that democracy in Britain is very much alive and that this was an election that really mattered.  Second, "thank you" to my predecessor, Michael Ancram, who has lived here for the last 20 years (and will continue to do so) and who has represented the Constituency to great effect even while occupying the heights of political office.  The third "thank you" is to the organizers of the election locally, who managed the process very efficiently and allowed us to be the second constituency in Wiltshire to declare our vote (at 4am) and also to the other candidates who stood at this election and who fought a very good fight.  And last, a huge "THANK YOU" goes to my Association and all of the volunteers who worked so tirelessly over the Campaign period.  We visited almost every village in this very large constituency and canvassed almost daily in the towns - and with our new musical choices on the Battlebus, there was never a dull moment!

I came up to Westminster last week to begin the process of representing you in Parliament and have been going through very useful training and also meeting the large number of new Conservative MPs. 

Our Party looks, sounds and feels very different after this election with a more diverse group of MPs and much more representation of urban constituencies.  This, together with the economic and policy decisions that can now be taken given the coalition we have formed with the Liberal Democrats, will mean that we should be able to look forward to a long period in Government.  

I will start local surgeries next week and our family will shortly move to the Constituency.  I look forward to working with my Constituents over the days, months and years ahead and I would like to say, once again, that I am honoured to be your next Member of Parliament for the Devizes Constituency.

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