‘Enormous privilege’: Alison Hume MP reflects on first week representing Scarborough and Whitby in parliament

Ms Hume said that her “head is still spinning” after a hectic week that has followed the announcement of her victory at Scarborough and Whitby’s vote count in the early hours of Friday morning, July 5.

“When I was first interviewed at 5.30am on Friday last week it was barely sinking in and I can’t say it’s sunk in a week later,” she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The MP – one of more than 300 people newly elected to the House of Commons – has been taking part in “wall-to-wall training and inductions” but is already in the process of setting up her constituency office while hotdesking from parliament.

Asked how she felt, Ms Hume said: “It’s a combination of enormous privilege and a sense of responsibility towards the people of Scarborough and Whitby as well as personally just taking in the fact that I am a member of parliament and starting work as a public servant for the first time.”

The MP said she aimed to be “visible, approachable, and out in the community” and was hoping to set up offices in both Scarborough and Whitby “depending on the funds”.

This will be alongside visits to smaller towns and villages as part of “regular Ask Alison surgeries”.

Ms Hume recounted the moment she was officially sworn in as a member of parliament on Wednesday, July 10 and said “the moment I was sworn in was quite something”.

She told the LDRS: “I was nervous as I went in and I looked down at the floor and I noticed my shiny shoes, reflecting in the light, and I remembered when I’d bought them.

“I actually bought those shoes about five or six years ago when I was struggling to get screenwriting work because in the freelance industry, work comes and goes and I had to pay the bills and put the food on the table for the three kids.

“I had taken an extra job waitressing in a pub and I needed some sensible flat shoes so I bought these lovely shiny Dr Martens, and just in that moment, it reminded me that my journey to the Houses of Parliament to represent the people of Scarborough and Whitby has been an unusual one.

“It reminded me of all the people who are working two or three jobs to provide for their families and I’m very much one of them and I feel that I am one of the people of Scarborough and Whitby – I just happen to be their MP.”

While she is still setting up an official email address, residents have already contacted Ms Hume about issues including the closure of NHS services at Scarborough’s Falsgrave dental practice.

She described the situation as “appalling” and that the closure made Scarborough “officially a top dental desert”.

“We have promised 700,000 new emergency appointments and obviously I’ll be working hard to make sure a portion comes to Scarborough and Whitby,” she told the LDRS.

Ms Hume added: “I’ve already reached out to the provider and the Integrated Care Board to see what, if anything, can be done because it seems very sudden and it’s very hard to find anywhere else and I’m particularly concerned about the impact on children.”

“Improving access to dental practices is an absolute priority for this Government.”

The MP said that once opened, her constituency offices would be “functioning and dynamic with experienced staff to make sure people have somewhere to go to have their queries and problems addressed”.

She added: “I’ll be a different sort of MP for the constituency”.