My summer recess

Parliament may have taken a break but I certainly haven't. Apart from a short break with the family, I have been visiting more of the wonderful constituency and the people who live here. The day after Parliament rose I managed to visit the Salisbury Arts Centre, Alabare and Gala Bingo, as well as a few constituents who needed to raise their problems with me - I can't always find the answer people want but I enjoy giving it my best.

Over the past six weeks, I visited Salisbury Rugby Club to try and encourage more sponsors and the Winterslow Horticultural Society where I handed out the prizes, I met with representatives of many local businesses and some bigger businesses such as QinetiQ and Friends Provident, I had my first volunteer day at the Trussell Trust and also found out more about The Community Foundation, Focus Point Day Centre and the Salisbury Rotary Club where I was the guest speaker.

I have had the pleasure of enjoying a pint with CAMRA and tasting some of the produce on show at Salisbury's Farmers Market, and discussed the world of farming with representatives from the National farmers' Union. One of the bigger employers in the constituency, Salisbury District Hospital has made me feel welcome, with visits to both the charity INSPIRE where I have been asked to become a Patron, and Odstock Medical Limited which does so much to help those who are disabled by developing medical products to help people move around. I also visited the Mental Health Partnership to see the work they do with those suffering from mental illness, an issue I care strongly about.

In the lasyt week I have visited two schools as they get ready to go back, Sarum Academy and Griffin School, as well as the Five Wishes Children's Centre, to discuss problems some of the staff have been facing - alongside my regular surgeries I am always keen to visit constituents at their workplaces or homes where this is more convenient.

I have enjoyed my first recess but I look forward to representing Salisbury in Westminster again...we have a busy two weeks ahead....

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Defence Select Committee Election

When I became the MP for Salisbury in May I said that I would work very hard to deliver a quality service as a constituency MP like my predecessor Robert Key had done. I have worked flat out since May 7th to do that -with regular surgeries in different locations and and many meetings on behalf of Salisbury residents and numerous visits to community groups.

However, I did not expect to follow Robert onto the Defence Select Committee at Westminster so soon! Last week I found out that I was elected by fellow Conservative MPs onto this committee which is responsible for scrutinising the MoD and the decisions it makes on spending, strategy and policy. Fourteen Conservative MPs put their names forward for the four places available. I was thrilled to be voted on (rather than appointed by the Party Whips as had been the case in the past).

I have also signed up to the Parliamentary Armed Forces Scheme (Army) which means, amongst other things, I will be going to Afghanistan to experience, first hand, the challenges our dedicated forces face in this troubled land. I hope in the work I do on the Defence Select Committee and the experience I gain on the Armed Forces Scheme I will remain an effective advocate for my constituents - and have a clearer understanding of the military interests of our constituency.

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Future Surgeries

I will be holding surgeries during July from 4pm - 6pm on the following dates:

Friday 9th July at The Morrison Hall, 12 Brown Street, Salisbury

Friday 23rd July at Wilton Community Centre

I am also available at other times (usually Fridays and Saturdays when Parliament is not sitting) to meet constituents. If you would like to make an appointment at one of these surgeries or at another time, please contact my constituency office on 01722 323050. 

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Henry Clark at Westminster

Yesterday I attended a reception in the House of Commons organised by The National Autistic Society. Their campaign, "Your Need to Know" is seeking to raise awareness of autism amongst children.

It was a privilege to meet Henry Clark, a Salisbury resident who took the stand and spoke very eloquently about his experience growing up with autism.

I was very proud to see Henry spoke so convincingly and in such a natural way about his circumstances and I felt like his god-father as I proudly told colleagues "he was my constituent".

Well done Henry and rest assured I heard your message and will work to ensure standards are clear for provision for autism in our schools.

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The Maiden Speech

On Thursday I made my maiden speech in the House of Commons. I was one of the first to make the maiden speech and chose to make it during the debate on the Queen's Speech. There are a number of conventions when it comes to what you can speak about - one needs to refer to the constituency and the previous member but I hope it is of interest...

You can view it here:

 http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=6325&st=16:45:08

Here is the text (from the Official Report in Hansard)

John Glen (Salisbury) (Con): Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for calling me to speak for the first time in the House today. It is a great privilege to follow three excellent speeches by the hon. Members for Llanelli (Nia Griffith) and for Ynys Môn (Albert Owen) and by my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond Park (Zac Goldsmith), who I am sure will contribute much to Conservative Members' understanding of issues around the environment and climate change.

I have the considerable honour and privilege to represent the people of Salisbury and south Wiltshire. It is with great pleasure that I also offer heartfelt praise and positive words about my predecessor, Robert Key. Robert was an outstanding Member of Parliament for 27 years. Elected in 1983, he had the great privilege, as have I, of being brought up in Wiltshire and of representing Salisbury.

Robert's Westminster career developed somewhat auspiciously in 1984-the heyday of the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher-when the Chief Whip called him in and sat him down to offer him the position of Parliamentary Private Secretary to Edward Heath, the former Prime Minister. Robert, a dutiful public servant, was delighted with his new role, but his local association members did not immediately grasp the significance of his privileged position. None the less, as with everything Robert has done for Salisbury over the years, he tackled his task with good humour and enthusiasm. Robert went on to find a home in Salisbury for his boss-Arundells in the Close-where Edward Heath lived for 20 years until he passed away in 2005.

It was six years later when his next big opportunity arose. On one autumnal evening, Robert took a call from the Prime Minister's office and was summoned to the great lady's suite at the party conference. He arrived and it is said that he was led through to her bedroom and she asked him whether he would like to join Her Majesty's Government to be a Minister in the Department of the Environment. As Robert excitedly accepted and bounded out of the room, he realised-this was October 1990-that he would be responsible for taking the poll tax through Parliament. A month later, the Prime Minister resigned and the poll tax was axed, but Robert went on to serve in two further ministerial roles. He was a Front Bencher in opposition and latterly a highly regarded member of the Select Committee on Defence and a member of the Chairmen's Panel.

Having examined a number of maiden speeches, I have noted how the previous MP is often referred to as having passed on or moved on to another planet, but I am happy to report that Robert Key is alive and well and continues to live in Salisbury with his wife, Sue. I am sure that they will continue to be regarded with great warmth and affection for the many years of dedicated service they have given to Salisbury and south Wiltshire.

Robert's presence in Salisbury market place on Saturday mornings is a tradition that I intend to follow; the people of south Wiltshire expect it of me. I also intend to stand up for the stallholders of the market place, many of whom-or, rather, their predecessors-have been there since 1227, and are anxious to know that the mooted changes to the market place are going to be modest and not waste public money.

My constituency stretches from Tilshead on the Salisbury plain to Hamptworth on the edge of the New Forest, and from Cholderton in the north-east to Ebbesbourne Wake in the south-west-the finest pocket of English countryside anyone could wish to find. With the constituency reduced in size since the last boundary changes, I hope that the Government's intention, as set out in the Queen's Speech, to reduce the number MPs and equalise constituency sizes will allow Salisbury to reclaim the Nadder valley-a beautiful seam of England that, sadly, got cut out of the Salisbury constituency at the last boundary change. I look forward to lively conversations with my neighbour and hon. Friend the Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) and with the boundary commission in the months ahead.

One cannot mention Salisbury without mentioning the cathedral-an iconic building for Christendom, an institution in itself, certainly making a big impact on the culture, heritage and landscape of the medieval city. As my grandmother used to tell me when I was a child, its spire, 404 feet tall, was the highest in Europe when it was built, and it remains the highest in Britain today. We also have a vibrant Christian community in the city and the surrounding area. As a committed believer myself, I hope to be a parliamentarian who will stand up for Christian values and the importance of marriage and the family in our society.

The housing, shops and businesses in my constituency were laid out in a chequer system of streets in the 13th century, and that system remains today. Although I could focus on the considerable challenge that my constituency faces to deal with the need for more housing- I am pleased to note that the new Government will allow more local discretion in regard to the number of houses that need to be built and where they should be built-I wish today to make the case for greater care for the rural communities that make up such a large portion of my constituency.

As one who grew up in a small horticultural business in Wiltshire, I am keen to see the new Government reduce unnecessary red tape and regulation in the farming and horticultural sector, a move that I am sure will be welcomed throughout south Wiltshire. I also hope that the new Government will be able to trust farmers more. Too often, Governments of all persuasions have considered it necessary to regulate a little more here and a little more there, but to little lasting effect. I hope that in the near future the Secretary of State will provide more detail about proposals in the coalition programme to reduce the regulatory burden on farmers.

I am delighted by some of the moves that have already been announced, including the commitment to investing in broadband, which is desperately needed in parts of my constituency. I am delighted by the new Government's commitment to providing accurate information on food labelling, so that when something is labelled "Produced in Britain", that is actually true. It should not mean that the product was cut up, washed, prepared and repackaged in Britain. I also welcome the Government's promise that food procured by Government Departments, and eventually the whole public sector, will meet British standards of production wherever that can be achieved.

I hope that Whitehall will be able to source more of its food from British suppliers, as that would be a key way in which to help farmers in Britain and, hopefully, those in my constituency. At a time when less than 1% of bacon served to United Kingdom armed forces is British, I thoroughly recommend a good helping of locally produced Wiltshire ham as a reliable alternative. I also hope that the Government will get rid of the Agricultural Wages Board, which has become an unnecessary bureaucracy that achieves little for farmers or their workers. I hope that they will be able to act in the best interests of our farmers, who need less intervention, more trust and greater freedom at every point.

I believe that what is required more than anything else at this challenging economic time for rural Britain is a recognition that rural poverty needs to be addressed directly and urgently. We often forget that many of the lowest-paid members of our society are part of the rural economy and rely on a vibrant food-producing sector to survive.

Whatever else I am asked to tackle or may achieve in the House, I hope that, like Robert Key, I will serve my constituents faithfully, determinedly and selflessly, and fight for the interests of the vulnerable, the suffering and the insecure. I am utterly thrilled to be standing in the House today, and I give my support to a Queen's Speech which I believe offers many good things to my constituents in Salisbury and south Wiltshire.

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Reflections on 2nd week

I have now completed my second week as an MP. It has been an interesting time, mostly spent answering constituents' letters and setting up meetings in Salisbury to meet people who have issues they want me to help with. I was sworn into Parliament on Wednesday evening - a moving experience - as was the first time I sat in the House of Commons chamber earlier that day to elect the Speaker. I didn't recognise a lot of people sat around me - then I realised the Lib Dems were mixed in on the same side! (click on this link to see my swearing in -  http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/house_of_commons/newsid_8693000/8693082.stm - it starts at 5mins 58 seconds)
I am looking forward to the Queen's Speech next Tuesday - which will set the legislative agenda for the new Government for the next 18 months. What is clear from this week is that the Labour Government has left us in a state - the budget of 22nd June is going to be a very tricky one. It will be interesting to see where David Laws the Lib Dem Chief Secretary wields the axe on public spending. I will be doing all I can to argue that changes to taxation do not discourage wealth creation. We need to urgently re-balance the economy towards the private sector - to achieve this we need to have a tax system that incentivises wealth creators and does not pursue a fiscal policy that dissuades entrepreneurs from taking risks. Fairness is important but without wealth in our country we will go bust!
I am looking forward to another full day of constituency visits tomorrow. I am visiting Pitton School and also have a number of one-to-one meetings with Salisbury residents, finishing with attendance at an event to open Salisbury's International Arts Festival.
Finally, I am pleased to report that Sarah Axton and Lisa Lovering (Robert Key's two staff members) have agreed to continue working for me - so I hope the same quality of service as a local constituency MP will be maintained.

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First week

After a full day in the constituency today I wanted to reflect on my first week as an MP. It has been an exhilarating and exciting week.

Firstly my reaction to our new Government or as one Labour friend described it "the top hat and tofu alliance"! I am pleased David Cameron is Prime Minister and that we have the prospect of five years of strong government that is capable of dealing with the pressing challenges that the country faces - especially the deficit.
We appear to be entering a new era of politics and I am always more interested in policy that changes lives than personalities. During my campaigning in Salisbury I was frustrated by schoolboy politics when constituents were more concerned about substantive policy - how the country was going to be run. I am pleased that we now have a grown up coalition - focused on delivering real change.

I am pleased that the Liberal Democrats' have agreed to make cuts in Government spending this year (the only way to deal with the deficit). I am pleased that they have agreed not to push membership of the Euro or insist on an amnesty for illegal immigrants or block trident! Equally I am pleased that we have affordable plans to increase the tax threshold to £10,000. I was always sympathetic to the Lib Dems on this policy - after all I am a Conservative and I believe in taking people out of tax - but their policy as presented before the election wasn't costed properly so now the Government has apparently agreed to fund it when adjustments are made elsewhere to make it affordable.

I am even more pleased that we have the chance to find more resources for school children with a pupil premium. It is critical that the funding mechanism used to allocate this money allows poorer parts of the Salisbury and South Wiltshire constituency to receive the money we deserve.

Throughout the campaign I said politics is always about a blend between principles and practicalities. I think David Cameron and Nick Clegg have been clever in balancing these two factors in their commitment to provide stability when the country needs it. I look forward to seeing Nick Clegg's proposals on political reform and constitutional reform. I hope there is an ambitious set of proposals that cover all aspects of Parliament; the voting system, reform of the House of Lords, equalisation in constituency sizes, a reduction in numbers of MPs as well as party funding and recognition of the English democratic deficit!

So to those who voted for me last week and are concerned - don't be! You always had a liberal Conservative in part of me and that will remain so. However, as with all politics time will tell.. what is certain is that when I get sworn in to the House of Commons next week my priority will be to stand up for the interests of all my constituents - regardless of who they voted for on May 6th!

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Post match interviews

Over the past 48 hours I have been busy thanking party workers, dealing with some urgent constituent enquiries and preparing to go to Westminster on Monday.

Here are some highlights of the last 2 days:

Election Result reported in The Salisbury Journal:

http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/salisbury/salisburynews/8152713.Delighted_Glen_wins_city_seat/

Singing The Vly from The White Hart's balcony:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/wiltshire/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8668000/8668627.stm

Interview with Justin Potter from Vision News:

 http://www.vnsouth.tv/

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Thank you

I am delighted to have been elected as the next Member of Parliament for Salisbury.  In just 3 months and 6 days since selection we managed to slightly increase the Conservative share of the vote in Salisbury to 49.22%.

The Conservative Majority now standing at 5,966 - largely reduced because those who didn't vote Conservative moved away from Labour.

However, after 90 minutes sleep I am now at my desk working on a number of constituents' letters that have already landed on my desk. I will then be having a quick run through The Vly before walking to The White Hart to continue the 300 year tradition of belting out the Wiltshire Regiment's marching song from the balcony. I can't promise the well-honed tones of Robert Key but I will give it everything.

Thank you to everyone who has voted for me or supported me in anyway over the last 100 days. I look forward to devoting my life to serving the people of Salisbury and South Wiltshire.

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Open and Accessible

During the campaign I have enjoyed great support from many people and I hope this will continue as we seek to canvass support in the next 4 days. In addition to public debates, 15 public meetings and canvassing from the battlebus every day we have also had a street stall in front of the Guildhall for the last 10 Saturday mornings.

When I started on 27th February it was wet and rainy and I had spent the night before sleeping in the Cloisters of the Cathedral for a local charity.. I have been there in good weather and bad every Saturday since. In recent weeks other candidates have shared the slot...for my 10th Saturday I was joined by a close friend who brought two of his children to help... many thanks Matilda and Joseph!!!

If I am elected I will continue to be around in the Market Square and town centre on Saturday mornings and whilst I will leave the big poster at home I want to be an accessible and approachable MP just like Robert Key has been.

As the last week of the campaign begins I look forward to two more public meetings - in Amesbury on Wednesday 5th at Antrobus House, 39 Salisbury Road, Amesbury at 7.30pm and tomorrow Monday 3rd May in Winterslow at 7.30pm at Winterslow Village Hall, Middleton Road, Winterslow.  Please come along if you want to quiz me on any subject.

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