Business as usual for Yeovil MP David Laws (From This is The West Country)

Business as usual for Yeovil MP David Laws

11:20am Thursday 13th September 2012 in News

IT will be business as usual for MP David Laws (pictured) on Saturday despite him having taken on two Government jobs as part of the first full Coalition Government reshuffle since the 2010 General Election.

Mr Laws, as predicted, made a return to the front benches in last Tuesday’s overhaul of Prime Minister David Cameron’s team.

He takes on two new roles – firstly as Minister of State for Schools in the Department for Education, and secondly as Minister of State in the Cabinet Office, in a cross-policy brief that will involve coordinating and developing policy across Government. The latter will include work for Deputy PM Nick Clegg and alongside Cabinet Office Minister, Oliver Letwin MP.

It comes over two years after he resigned as Chief Secretary to the Treasury – just days after the General Election – because of an expenses scandal.

And although Mr Laws said he was delighted to be given another opportunity to serve in the Government, he stressed his work in Chard, Ilminster and Crewkerne would not suffer.

“I shall be doing these jobs alongside my existing responsibilities as MP for the Yeovil Constituency and I do not intend to cut back in any way on my constituency work.

“I shall continue to hold my regular local advice centres and will be available for any constituent who needs my help. My role as Yeovil Constituency MP is my first responsibility and I have a brilliant and experienced team of staff to help me with that work.”

He is to hold advice centres on Saturday at Ile Youth Centre in Frog Lane, Ilminster, from 9am to 10am and at Crewkerne Community Office at the Town Hall from 11am to noon where people can discuss with him any concerns.

David Laws said he was “delighted to be able to serve the Coalition Government and the country” with last week’s promotion, adding: “I am very pleased to be given this opportunity to serve the Coalition Government and the country in these two roles.

“Education is one of my real passions and is an area I know well following my time as Lib Dem Shadow Secretary of State for Schools, between 2007 and 2010.

“It will also be a real challenge and opportunity to be involved in many policy issues through my role in the Cabinet Office. We must not underestimate the difficult times people are going through at the moment and I will work hard to put growth, jobs and fairer taxes at the heart of what we do.”