Julie Morgan MP

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Nothing quite like winning!

This column appears in this week's "Cardiff Post".

There's nothing quite like waiting for the ballot papers to be counted - it's an incredibly nerve-racking experience, especially is the result is as close as it was this time in Cardiff North.

It's also the one night of the year when you know that you won't get any sleep at all.

We all assembled in the CIA after the polls closed at 10pm. The ballot papers for all four Cardiff seats were being counted there so the place was packed out with candidates, supporters and the count staff.

As I watched the ballot papers being sorted and counted, I felt heartened when I saw a vote cast for me and humbled when I saw one cast for someone else. And like the other candidates, I spent my time wandering around asking my supporters how they thought things looked.

You might think you've got the slight edge, but you don't really know until the count staff start putting the ballot papers into bundles of 500 and then start putting them on a big table behind a piece of card with your name on it. You can then see whether you have more or less bundles than your nearest opponent. And as the count staff approach with another bundle, your nerves intensify until it's put in your pile.

In the end, I won by just over two bundles - 1,146 votes. It seemed remarkable that such an extraordinary event was decided by such ordinary things - two piles of paper. I was delighted to win the seat and I feel very priviledged to represent Cardiff North again.

There's nothing quite like the feeling that people have voted for you and put their faith in you.

It was a disappointing night for others though. For my party, it was very sad that we Cardiff Central fall. And throughout the UK, I saw many good friends and colleagues defeated at the ballot box. That's the thing about politics. One day you've got everything and the next day you've got nothing and have to clear out your office post-haste. I also felt sorry for those who lost in Cardiff North - I know what it feels like to lose an election as well as to win one.

But as I left the CIA at about 4am, I found myself looking forward to some recovery time and I also felt invigorated and ready to take on the next four or five years.

During this next term, I will have local, national and international priorities. I aim to continue with the campaign to save the Llanishen and Lisvane reservoirs, to try to get safer communities in places like Mynachdy, Llanishen, Whitchruch and Gabalfa, to bring more youth facilities to our community, to work for a ban on smoking in enclosed public places in Wales and do more work on international development.

As well as working on the manifesto programme and legislative agenda in Westminster, I do have the opportunity as an MP to raise specific issues. If you have any thoughts about what you would like me to work on in the House of Commons or Cardiff North, please get in touch. I can be contacted on (029) 20 624166, at morganj@parliament.uk or at 17 Plasnewydd, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 1NR.

Posted at 02:07 pm by juliemorgan
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Wednesday, May 11, 2005

The will of the House

Back to Parliament for the election of the Speaker, always the first business after a General Election. This is another curious affair. Michael Martin was unanimously re-elected, but traditions have to be observed: he has to make a speech submitting himself to the will of the House, and has to be "dragged" to the Chair. This comes from centuries ago, when the Speaker was reluctant to take up his position in case the King or Queen "disapproved" of him and showed their displeasure in manifestly unpleasant ways! Michael Martin has been a good Speaker and has overcome some of the initial doubts about him — some of which were very unfair, to say the least.

Geoff Hoon also made his debut as Leader of the House. I hope that he will follow in Robin Cook and Peter Hain's footsteps and take forward the modernisation of the Commons. We took a real step backwards at the end of the last Parliament when we voted to go back to the old sitting hours on Tuesdays, meaning that we start at 2.30pm and go on until very late in the evening. I always feel that we should try and reflect the working hours ordinary people work wherever possible! Hopefully progress can be made on making the House more comprehensible to the layman over the next four to five years.

Posted at 02:13 pm by juliemorgan
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Tuesday, May 10, 2005

New term, new blog

Following in the footsteps of my colleagues Tom Watson and Leighton Andrews, I've decided to start keeping this blog as a new way of communicating with my constituents. I hope you enjoy it!

I was very proud to be re-elected as MP for Cardiff North on May 5. I have enjoyed the last eight years immensely and want to continue my work for our community. Hopefully, this blog will be another way that my constituents can keep informed about my work for them in Cardiff and in Westminster.

Since 1997, I've dealt with thousands of cases on behalf of my constituents. As ever, people can get in touch with me at the constituency office at 17 Plasnewydd, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 1NR; telephone (029) 20 624166; fax (029) 20 623661; and e-mail morganj@parliament.uk.

Also, visit my main website here.

Posted at 02:03 pm by juliemorgan
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