I suspect readers will be relieved that the general election is finally over.  The results, both nationally and locally were decisive.  I congratulate Catherine Fookes, the new Labour MP for Monmouthshire and wish her well in her new role.  I hope she will deliver on the promises she made prior to the election and work across boundaries to get things done.

 I was very sorry to see our colleague David TC Davies lose his seat, having represented the constituency since 1999, initially in the Assembly and from 2005 in parliament.  David was no stranger to controversy and would often be forthright and outspoken in sharing strongly held views.  This won him both plaudits and critics, but I think these are great strengths in being an MP.  You want an elected representative who will speak their mind, stand up for their constituents and be determined in fighting for what they believe in and what’s important to the public.  But as a local councillor, I saw a side of David that not every voter appreciated – which is how diligently David dealt with enquiries from members of the public.  David was one of the most hardworking MPs in Wales and unlike some others took a keen personal interest in the casework his office received.

 But the swing against the Conservative Party was relentless and the tide washed out effective and less effective MPs in near equal measure.  It pains me to say but the national defeat was deserved.  A number of Conservative MPs had behaved disgracefully in recent years and the party leadership had not been sufficiently robust in tackling unacceptable behaviour.  This added to the two central reasons for the defeat, PartyGate and Liz Truss’ Mini Budget and a disastrous election result had become inevitable.

 We now have a Labour UK Government, a Labour Welsh Government, a Labour Police and Crime Commissioner, a Labour Council and a Labour MP.  My Monmouthshire Conservative team will continue to hold the council administration to account, while Peter Fox MS and his colleagues will hold Vaughan Gething and the Welsh Government to account for the decisions they’ve made and the way in which they have failed to deliver improvements in public services over the last 25 years.

 As new MPs take up their seats, I hope they will refrain from being tribal.  All politicians should put their residents first and not their political party – this is key in being able to get things done.