FROM STEVE
BRINE MP
Our former Prime Minister (Tony Blair) once
said Britain is a young country and, while I
knew what he was trying to get at, I couldn’t
disagree more. Britain is a very old country –
with the potential to have its best days ahead in
my opinion – and the sense of history I get
when I’m inside the Palace of Westminster is
only equal to that you feel in a place like
Winchester, or Alresford.
I was reminded of that in brilliant fashion just
recently when I was honoured to unveil the new
town clock in West Street (above the Swan) to
mark 800 years of Alresford’s market. We have
such a lovely place to shop and the market is a
real part of that vibrancy once a week. The fact
it has been there for 800 years is just mindboggling and reminds me, that for all the debate
and activity we see in the town of today, we’re
just a brief stitch in time enjoying Alresford while
we’re passing through.
My life in Westminster remains as busy and
varied as ever; recent work for me includes
supporting calls for an inquiry into offshore
helicopter safety in the North Sea, voting for the
Modern Slavery Bill which is very good,
pressing the Government over the West
Lothian Question (which must be answered if
Scotland votes NO in September) and
speaking about the need to reform our
outdated drug laws and tackle the continuing
threat posed by legal highs. So much more
online at www.stevebrine.com/westminster
Last time in Village Voice I trailed a special day
I was organising in Winchester as part of my
work as Chair of the All-Party Breast Cancer
Group. With the girls from CoppaFeel we
visited all secondary schools in the city and,
talking to some 600 young people about
cancer, launched the #rethink cancer
campaign to bring education on the subject
onto the national curriculum. It was an amazing
day and you can read / watch / listen for more
via www.stevebrine.com/coppafeel
Finally, I am told this is the last edition of Village
Voice to be compile