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Howard's Way.... a weekly column from the Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC. MP. 

11 October 2007

For some days I had suspected that Speaker’s day at New Romney last Saturday might be my last official engagement as your Member of Parliament. Thanks to last Saturday evening’s announcement by Gordon Brown we now know that was not be the case. You’re stuck with me for a while yet!

Nevertheless a word about the last extraordinary few weeks seems appropriate. I cannot remember an episode in which a Prime Minister has inflicted upon himself such large and unnecessary damage. He allowed the pre-election frenzy to gather momentum to the point when it was clear that any decision not to call it would make him look very foolish indeed. So it has turned out and I suspect his reputation may never recover.

Speaker’s day at New Romney was a wonderful piece of pageantry. Each of the Cinque Ports and the two ancient towns holds the event once every seven years when its Mayor has the honour of being Speaker of the Cinque Ports. This year it was the turn of Clive Wire, the Mayor of New Romney, and it is difficult to think of a more appropriate venue than St Nicholas’ Church.

In the evening I attended another event, not as Member of Parliament, but as patient. A very large gathering assembled at Sellindge Sports and Social Club to pay tribute to Dr Richard Morey, Sellindge’s much loved GP who is retiring. The enormously high regard in which Dr Morey is held was very evident in the warmth of the tributes. We are fortunate that he is now to become Chairman of the Trustees of the Pilgrim Hospices.

Last, but by no means least, it is right that we should all pay tribute to Major Alexis Roberts who so tragically lost his life in Afghanistan. Stationed at Shorncliffe with the Gurkhas he was our very own local hero. I know I express the thoughts of you all when I express my deep sympathy with his family. His loss is a sharp and shocking reminder of the sacrifice we ask our brave soldiers to make on our behalf.