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Archive on 4: MP for Penrith and the Border

MP for Penrith and the Border

12/09/2015

BBC Radio 4 - Archive on 4, MP for Penrith and the Border

Programme following a year in the life of Rory Stewart - an MP with an unusual profile.

Elected to Parliament in 2010, Rory Stewart stood out from the crowd for having walked across Asia and worked in Iraq. So how is he adjusting to being a Cumbrian MP?

Rory Stewart is an MP with an unusual profile. By the time he was 30 he had worked for the Foreign Office in Indonesia and Montenegro; he had walked across Asia, ending his journey in war-torn Afghanistan; he had then helped to govern two provinces in Southern Iraq before taking up a position at Harvard. Many found it surprising that his next move was to get himself elected to Parliament.

At a time when politicians are having to win back the trust of the people and find new ways of engaging the public, we follow Rory Stewart between Westminster and his constituency to hear his perspective on the role of a Cumbrian MP. He offers his views on the effectiveness of our democracy, the relationship between politicians and the media, and his hopes for the future of the UK.

The rural constituency of Penrith and the Border is far removed from Westminster. Rory feels a deep sense of affinity for the countryside and the farmers who have lived in the region for generations. But he is also deeply engaged in foreign affairs and chaired the Defence Select Committee from 2014 until the election. 

Rory believes that an MP's job is unusual, that it demands sacrifices, and that family life must be fitted around these demands - but he also feels strongly that local people should be given much more power to resolve local issues.

We hear Rory Stewart at work in his constituency, attending meetings, appearing on politics programmes, and finally campaigning for reelection in May 2015. We travel with him between Cumbria and Westminster and hear his reflections on politics along the way.

Produced by Isabel Sutton
A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4.

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