Following the results of last week’s local elections, I am pleased that in Swindon, our Conservative council was returned with an increased majority. Their work to build new homes and the infrastructure to support them, to upgrade our road networks and improve education in our town by providing a multi-million- pound institute of technology will continue. The council will continue supporting vulnerable children and adults who rely on services and will make further progress in reducing rough sleeping with new facilities and ways of working.

I would like to thank retiring councillors Fionuala Foley and Claire Ellis for all their hard work and dedication over the years, and welcome Jenny Jeffries in Chiseldon and Lawn and Nick Burns-Howell in Old Town, as well as congratulating all re-elected councillors such as Cathy Martyn in Wroughton. I was particularly pleased to see my friend Oladapo Ibitoye win a seat on the Council; he is a hard working and popular member of our Swindon community who will make a positive difference.

The Conservative Party offers decent, moderate, patriotic politics, which means honouring the country’s decision to leave the EU by getting the right Brexit deal and building a stronger, fairer economy that works for ordinary working people.

In the last few years, our politics has changed for the worse – rigorous debate between political opponents is becoming more like a confrontation between enemies. No party has a monopoly on good ideas and getting things done requires working together. As your local MP, I will always stand for a politics that unites us rather than divides us. This was very much the tone of a lecture and discussion at Swindon Philosophical Society, where was guest speaker last month. We are lucky to have such groups of thoughtful and dedicated members, who enjoy debate and know that the real test of a healthy democracy is the way in which we handle disagreement -not with anger and threats but with respect and understanding.

The Conservative government has a proud record of clearing up the mess left by the last Labour government, but we aren’t blind to the challenges that remain. Some markets are still not working in the interests of ordinary people. Employment is up, but too many people haven’t had a decent pay rise. The deficit is down but achieving that has been painful. Our economy is growing, but some communities have been left behind. This is why some people still feel that our economy isn’t working for them. To change that and build a stronger, fairer economy that works for everyone, the Conservative government will continue to work to improve the housing market, so that more people are able to get on the housing ladder, support people with the cost of living by keeping taxes down, helping with childcare costs and increasing the National Living Wage and spend more on public services, including our long-term plan for the NHS. The Modern Industrial Strategy will ensure that we deliver good jobs and growth across the whole country, steering a course to a better future for all.

Finally, it was lovely to join fellow residents in Wroughton on Bank Holiday Monday for the Annual Duck Race. This is always a popular and enjoyable local community event and as ever, there was a big crowd of people and it was a tight race along the Moat. I also went to the Wanborough May Day Fayre where it was great to catch up with friends and see hardworking Swindon Ward councillor, Gary Sumner, flipping burgers as part of the voluntary team running the event. My thanks to everyone who made all of this happen.