Bassetlaw MP reflects on another busy year at home and in Westminster

As ever, it’s gone even faster than the previous year and it’s certainly not been a quiet year in Parliament this time.

In February, Britain celebrated the centenary of the Representation of the People Act, which first gave women the right to vote.

To celebrate this, more than 100 women from across Bassetlaw came down to Parliament for the day where guests heard from the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, Yvette Cooper MP and Bassetlaw’s very own Kate Bottley amongst other women.

We still have a very long way to go when it comes to getting more women’s participating in politics and public life more broadly, but it was wonderful day with so many Bassetlaw women having the opportunity to walk the corridors of power.

In July, it was the 12th annual Bassetlaw and Coventry Summer School where 48 students from this area spent the week with me in London.

These summer schools are unique – no other MP runs them.

They give students a taster of what careers are out there for them, from politics to law to marketing to media, the summer school pushes these students out of their comfort zones and inspires them to aim high when it comes to their future careers.

I take great delight when I hear from previous Summer School graduates and find out where the life path as taken them.

In September, I represented constituents at the Indepen-dent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse.

The inquiry was lengthy and painful for those who had to give evidence and for those of us who had to re-live those experiences with them.

I hope that the recommendations that will come from it include access to support services for all survivors and appropriate compensation for the terrible abuse that they have had to endure.

I will continue to stand up for the survivors of child sex abuse in whatever way I can in the years ahead.

Finally, I want to wish you and your family a very happy new year.