Burnham-On-Sea’s outgoing MP James Heappey has posted a video from Parliament on his final day in Westminster.
He announced earlier this year that he would be standing down as an MP and not running again at the General Election after nine years in the role as Wells MP, including Burnham and Highbridge.
On Friday (May 24th), as parliament sat for the final time, he thanked his team, family and constituents and said he would miss the role.
Mr Heappey said: “So in just a few minutes time the Speaker will take his seat just through there in the House of Commons and as he does so, I will take my seat for the last time in this 2019 to 2024 Parliament but also for the last time, for me, ever.”
“It’s almost nine years exactly to the day since I gave my maiden speech and when I reflect on all that’s happened in this place over those nine years it really does feel like a lifetime.”
“There’s much of which I’m enormously proud and even when this place hasn’t bathed itself in glory, it’s still important I think for people to be here and to be speaking in those difficult moments and I’m grateful for having had that opportunity to.”
“I’ll miss this place, of course I will, it’s the most remarkable place to work and it’s still a place from which you can achieve huge change and I hope in my small way both as a constituency MP and as a minister I’ve had the opportunity to do that.”
“Thank you to everybody who’s worked in my parliamentary office, both here in Westminster and in the constituency over the last nine years, thank you to everybody who has campaigned for me and supported me.”
“Thank you to my partner, my family, and my friends for all of your love and support but most of all to my constituents – thank you for giving me this incredible honour to sit in this place as your MP, whether you voted for me or not, I take very seriously the responsibility that you gave me. Thank you, I will miss it, and thank you for this opportunity.”
In a letter to his local association, Mr Heappey said he had concluded that it is “time to step away from politics, prioritise my family, and pursue a different career.”
Boundary changes are set to take place at the election on July 4th with the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge areas moving into the new Bridgwater constituency, as reported here.
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