This week has been a brilliant opportunity not just to be out in the constituency but also further afield talking about some of the work of the Select Committee.
I very much enjoyed my visit to Mottisfont on Tuesday, with a chance to wander not only round the House and gardens, but also along the banks of the Test. I can well remember an event hosted at Mottisfont the best part of 20 years ago, where we were discussing the well-being benefits of access to the Test Valley countryside. I never forget how lucky we are to be surrounded by the most beautiful natural environment possible.
A new website was launched this week which has an interactive map showing the most notable person from every town in the country. Unsurprisingly Romsey's entry shows Lord Palmerston, who was Prime Minister twice and of course had Broadlands as his country estate. So although he never represented in Parliament, we can claim to have had a Prime Minister who resided in the constituency (albeit part time) and twice. I look at the current contest to succeed the current PM and wonder whether the Romsey and Southampton North constituency could produce its second PM.
Although Rishi Sunak may not represent Romsey in Parliament this is of course home to him, where he grew up and went to school, and if you visit Stroud School today you can see his name on the board of previous Head Boys. I have no idea what the outcome of the leadership race will be, and there is a long way to go yet, I certainly have not yet even received my ballot paper. But I think it could only be a good thing for Romsey to have produced another PM.
