I’ve seen Parliament at its best and at its worst in recent weeks.

There are times, I have to admit, when one of my favourite phrases “gently undulating blobs of impotence” can fairly and aptly describe many of our politicians. I’m thinking of those types who smarm their way up the greasy pole, never rocking the boat, never challenging the party line and never doing anything to put their own careers in jeopardy. On the other hand there are those characters who take risks, who make the political weather and who show leadership, courage and have the ability to inspire. These are the history makers and over the years the British House of Commons has produced some shining examples.

Whilst there is much to be said for being in the ‘twilight’ of one’s political career, I do have to confess to experiencing feelings of nostalgia. None more so than in Brighton last week, the venue for my last Labour party conference as an MP and the scene of part of my mis-spent youth.

Last Friday saw the launch of the new All Party Parliamentary Group on the Thames which grew out of the MPs successful campaign against the lock-house closures last year. Despite the fact that the launch involved a very pleasant cruise on a beautiful 90 year old Thames steamer provided by French Brothers from Runneymede to Windsor it was still a devil of a job persuading my fellow MPs to leave the bosom of their constituencies, even for a few hours. In the end we had a respectable turnout from amongst the 25 MPs who have agreed to join the group. It was particularly nice for me to meet up with my Reading West predecessor Sir Anthony Durant who has done such sterling work in his role as President of the River Thames Society. We may come from different sides of the political divide but we share a common love of rivers ad the wider Thames Valley.

I have to say the summer recess can’t come quickly enough as far as I’m concerned as the pace of the work here in Westminster shows no sign of abating. In the past few weeks I have been trying juggle my work as a member of the Marine Bill Committee with sittings of the Home Affairs Committee and the meetings of the new Select Committee on Parliamentary Reform, to which I was recently elected. All of this has been on top of an intensive campaign for the election of the new Speaker, and our successful campaign to achieve settlement rights for the Gurkhas.

It was a real privilege last Thursday to be invited to speak at a victory rally for the Gurkhas in London alongside Joanna Lumley and the Gurkha Justice Campaign. There was a wonderful atmosphere and a real sense of a job well done.

I have no doubt that those self-appointed guardians of the public purse at the Taxpayers’ Alliance will be pleased to hear that as an MP I get very little time to indulge myself in long-session fishing trips. The demands of both Parliament and my constituency restricts me to not much more than two or three overnighters a year. This is no problem when targeting chub, barbel and big perch from my local rivers around Reading, as a couple of hours either side of dusk is usually the best time to be on the bank. However, it presents more of a challenge when travelling to far off venues in search of a dawn feeding tench of specimen proportions.

Parliament’s standing is at an all time low. The expenses scandal of recent months and the subsequent public outcry, followed shortly by the ousting of former Speaker Michael Martin means that the new Speaker has taken office in unprecedented circumstances.

The European Elections were nowhere near as terrible for Labour in Reading West as elsewhere with a strong performance being recorded in many of the wards in my constituency. There is very little read across between the Euros and the General Election and I will remember us losing badly in the 1999 Euro poll before winning well in the subsequent general election in 2001. Although I’m not standing at the next election I would warn my political opponents not to be too smug or complacent about the outcome. My constituency has consistently bucked the national trend and can do so again.

First of all can I say thank you to all those people who have been emailing or calling my office, urging me to reconsider my decision to stand down at the next election after 25 years in public life in Reading. Whilst I appreciate all the kind things that have been said, I’m afraid my mind is made up. I’m very much looking forward to the next chapter in my life and to using what skills and experience I’ve amassed to benefit the work of a national charity.