In the week when Mr Brown gave his Budget which will have such a bad effect, especially on the low paid, some of whom raised it with me in my Advice Surgery on Saturday; when the Prime Minister is serving the last few weeks of his time and seems more concerned about his “legacy” than about running the country, and while his Party is in more or less open rebellion over his succession; a week when death and destruction continue on a horrific scale in Iraq and Afganistan, and now with a real risk of some kind of escalation with regard to Iran after the very worrying capture of the fifteen Royal Marines; a week when the wonderful Pakistani Cricket Coach, Bob Woolmer was murdered apparently connected in some way with corruption in that great game; in a week when the horrors in Zimbabwe seem to be nearing meltdown, and when Darfur and Pakistan to look no further are in continuing crisis; when all of that is happening round the world, I have to say I find it a huge relief to come back the constituency for a full weekend of local engagements.

This last weekend I had the North Wilts Conservative AGM in the lovely Wootton Bassett Golf Club; a meeting about how to capitalise on the encouraging letter I had received from the Secretary of State for Defence on the subject of the reopening of Corsham Station; a visit to the Conservatives’ lovely new offices in Pewsham Village, and lunch with my Chairman at the Lysley Arms; the opening ceremony of the new extension to Luckington Community School, a meeting with Chief Superintendent Matt Kirby who is taking over the new police division encompassing the whole of Wiltshire, and a chance meeting with local lawyers who have been lobbying me on the cuts proposed in legal aid; drinks with the The High Sheriff of Wiltshire at Avebury followed by dinner in Lacock; then  surgeries in Chippenham and Corsham, the twenty or so cases ranging through green verges, dissatisfaction with the police, Special Needs Education, landfill tax and industrial waste, black unemployment, alleged corruption in high places, incapacity benefit, planning permissions in Nettleton, RUH, Housing shortages, neighbourhood nuisance, the funding of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, and of British Waterways, car cloning, immigration, overdevelopment in Corsham, and finally a visit from the local BNP who seemed bemused that the Conservative candidate they will actually be facing in Corsham at the next General Election is black! Of such things are a busy Constituency Advice Surgery composed!

In highlighting the contrast between National and International events on the one hand and the acutely local on the other, I mean to diminish neither. Both are essential and important parts of an MP’s job. I was elected not by the Conservative Party but by all of the people of North Wiltshire, and it is they who I try to serve. Most voting systems other than the tried and tested “first past the post system” diminish that essential link between the MP and his electorate. The European Parliament, and Scottish and Welsh Assemblies are very good examples of exactly that happening. I am proud of the fact that I keep my feet on the ground every weekend with diverse constituency events. I like a bit of mud on my boots. And I hope that that constituency experience and knowledge fits me better for involvement in the great events and issues of the day.

A Channel 4 documentary last week argued, quite convincingly, I thought, that man-made Global Warming does not in fact exist. I suspect that they were arguing one side of the case only, and that next week there will be another equally convincing programme predicting environmental catastrophe unless we do something pretty urgent about it. Against that background, is it right that David Cameron and Gordon Brown have been competing to outdo each other’s “green credentials”? Do we really need to find a taxation way to curb the citizen’s use of cheap air flights? Is taxing people out of the skies any better, or any more likely to be succesful than taxing them off the roads? Would it really be right to return to a time when only the rich could fly? These are difficult questions, and I welcome the fact that the debate has at least been opened up the way it has.

Similarly, while I am clear that Patrick Mercer’s use of language was to say the least clumsy; and while any appearance of the condoning of racism is unacceptable, and more than justifying David Cameron’s decision to give him the sack (Michael Howard gave me the sack for a much lesser offence); while all of that is true, I do just slightly wonder if we are not in danger of slipping into politically correct clichés? After all, all he was doing was describing the realities of military life, not condoning it. Perhaps he should have made himself a bit clearer.

Then on Wednesday we had the chance to vote on whether or not to renew the Trident nuclear capability. I am very much in two minds over it. Would the money saved from decommissioning it not be better spent on our conventional armed forces at which we are so good? Could we not rely on the US for our nuclear deterrent? But then, who is to know what the world will look like over the forty years we are talking about. Might Trident not be useful with regard to a re-arming Russia; rogue states, Iran and North Korea? And if we decommissioned it would we lose our seat at the top table, outflanked by the French, for example. And anyhow, is it true that decommissioning would actually cost a larger fortune than extending its life? At the time of writing (on Monday) I am not yet sure how I will vote on Wednesday. I will listen carefully to the arguments.

Meanwhile the Metropolitan Police’s finest seem to be closing in on people surrounding the Prime Minister in the Cash for Honours scandal while Mr Blair and co are showing every sign of hanging out Lord Levy to dry. I doubt if they will escape that easily. But amazing how Gordon Brown, who after all was in charge of the Labour campaign at the last election seems to be keeping a very low profile over all of this. I wonder why?

And all of that against the very worrying and continuing background of tragic loss of life in Afganistan and Iraq, kidnappings in Ethiopia, Islamic terrorism and general global chaos. We are condemned to live in interesting times. All in all an exciting week in Westminster.

Road pricing - here’s an example. The proposal seems to be that despite the 1.7 million people who signed a petition against it on the No.10 e-petition site (another worthless gimmick if you ask me), the Government are putting together a series of “pay as you drive” proposals. The aim, apparently, is to reduce congestion and cut carbon emissions - both laudable enough aims, you might think. But like most “environmental taxes,” the net effect would be a sharp increase on the tax burden on the individual, thereby allowing governments to waste yet more taxpayers’ money on useless projects, without there being any guarantee whatsoever of a beneficial end result for society, the environment or anyone else.

What we mean by “reducing congestion” is “let’s get everyone else off the roads so that our journey to school / work / leisure would be easier.” We need our cars. The price of petrol being what it is, we presumably already minimise use of said cars, but we are frustrated by everyone else doing exactly the same as we are.  The other problem with road pricing is that it is regressive - those least able to pay are hit the hardest. The fat cat in his Rolls Royce doesn’t mind how much he has to pay, so long as the end result is getting all the plebs off the road to speed his journey. I’ve got a better idea: - let’s actually INCREASE congestion. That would make people reluctant to go into the town or city and therefore more likely rather than less to use public transport. Road pricing and congestion charging are stealth taxes on our motorists and should be abolished. (Although there remains a place for toll roads, such as the M6 or the Severn Bridge which would not be built without it.)

And reform of the House of Lords is another. We have the finest constitution in the world. We have first class, largely un-corrupt and relatively fair and efficient Government. It’s the product of 1000 years of history. We invented parliamentary democracy, and by and large it works pretty well. We wouldn’t necessarily have sat down and designed it like it is. But overall it works, and you tamper with one part of the delicate structure at peril of messing up the whole thing. That’s why I like the House of Lords the way it is. The House of Commons make the laws. We are answerable to the people at the ballot box. The Lords are a reforming chamber of wise and experienced men and women who can rise above the party political hubbub. So I am going to vote against any kind of elected upper house, and vote for the status quo. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Leisure centres locally are another example. What a shambles. We know we want our sport and swimming; we know that it is the duty of the District Council to provide it. So why can’t they just get off the backs of the Leisure centres, square up to those fundamental responsibilities, and admit that they’ve made such a shambles of the running the district as a whole that they can’t afford to do that duty. Roll on May 3^rd. Lets just keep things like they are - if they are good. Change should be reserved for the removal of wickedness, unfairness, poverty and illness.

But overall Less Government is better Government.