Rob Butler, MP – February 2020

I am delighted to be writing my first column for Wendover News as your local MP. The village played a significant part in my election campaign, and has been high on my agenda in my first weeks in the House of Commons. Needless to say, the main reason has been HS2. I met the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid, to raise serious questions about the economic case for the project, and to urge him to save tens of billions of pounds by investing instead in infrastructure projects that will bring greater benefits at a lower cost. If the battle to stop HS2 is ultimately lost, rest assured that my fight to stand up to them on your behalf has only just begun.

There are other, more positive, reasons I have been spending time in Wendover. I was very pleased to start the Santa Dash on the Saturday before Christmas, in aid of the Florence Nightingale hospice. And early in the new year I visited Lindengate, an extremely impressive project to provide horticulture therapy. As the NHS considers new ways to help patients, including social prescribing, I believe Lindengate provides food for thought.

Of course, the majority of my time and work is in Westminster. Many people have asked what it feels like to walk into the chamber for the first time. The truth is a mix of emotions: the palatial setting convey a solemnity and awe that befit the seriousness of the role, but there was also excitement and anticipation at the prospect of being at the heart of decision-making, where there is a real opportunity to work for all my constituents, however they voted.

I am now in the process of setting up offices both there and the constituency, and look forward to hearing from you with any questions or concerns: rob.butler.mp@parliament.uk