On 12th December, I was greatly honoured to be re-elected for the fourth time as the Member of Parliament for the Northampton North constituency.

Christmas Day for most people is a time to spend with family and other loved ones. As a public holiday, most people get Christmas Day off work.

The next scheduled General Election is not likely to be before 2024, and whilst it is a regular criticism that people only hear from their MPs during Elections, in my case I have always regularly knocked on doors and talked to the residents of Northampton outside election periods too.

Before I was first elected to Parliament as the MP for Northampton North in 2010 I worked for some 17 years in the criminal justice system in Northampton dealing almost exclusively with legally-aided criminal cases.

I was born and brought up in Northampton, and have lived and worked here my whole life. It is with immense pride that I have served the constituents of Northampton North for the past nine and a half years, since May 2010.

On Wednesday, 18th September it was my pleasure to attend the formal opening of the Institute for Creative Leather Technologies’ (ICLT) new facility located at the University of Northampton’s Waterside Campus.

On Saturday, 21st September I was happy to join members of the Northampton Morris Dancers to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Northampton group. Dancing took place around Northampton.

On Friday, 20th September I attended the official opening of Northampton College’s new Advanced Construction Engineering (ACE) Centre in Booth Lane.

On Saturday, 28th September, I visited the St George’s Street Mosque in the Semilong area of Northampton to meet and talk to members of our local Muslim community.

Navratri is one of the most important events in the Hindu calendar. It pays homage to the Hindu deity of Durga – who is the principal and popular form of the Hindu warrior goddess.