When does Sylvia Hermon intend to do some work at Westminster?

Interesting stats on They Work for You about Sylvia Hermon.  The MP for North Down's last contribution at the House of Commons was back in March.  In fact, since retaining her seat as an independent she has not taken part in any debate, despite business such as Saville and the budget coming before the house.

I hope that Slug can substantiate the information he has posted in the comments section of this thread about complete non-attendance.  I will post the evidence immediately if he can.

In the mean time it's quite clear that North Down is receiving practically no representation at Westminster.  Still, the situation wasn't much better in the previous parliament, and the constituency voted her in regardless.   Frankly, her supporters are getting the representation they deserve.

The question remains whether she stood in the 2010 election out of a genuine desire to serve her constituents, or simply out of spite.

Comments

slug said…
Well I watched the Saville discussion, and she was not present, and I watched a fair bit of the budget and no sign of her. Its possible she has turned up briefly in some debate and said nothing, but I could not detect any signs of the Lady.

These are important matters - Saville and the Bidget - I would have thought. In the course of watching these sessions on The BBC website I have seen substantive and often very good speaking contributions from Paisley Jnr, Shannon, Durkan, Ritchie, Dodds, Wilson, Donaldson, Long, Campbell, McCrea. I see from theyworkforyou that David Simpson has also spoken this month.

theyworkforyou shows that Lady Hermon and McDonnell have not yet spoken. Hermon alone among unionist MPs has not spoken ; in my own watching of these debates I have seen every other unionist and Alliance MP, and all SDLP MPs apart from McDonnell, taking part very effectively.

But no Hermon. The invisible woman.

What are her views?

Might she let the Commons in on them some day?
24 June 2010 at 14:04
Anonymous said…
She won and attacking her voters wont change that. It simply reeks of arrogance.
24 June 2010 at 15:17
Rudi said…
Of course there were some wags who suggested the REAL reason she was against UCUNF was that if she took the Conservative whip she'd actually have to attend more votes and be asked to speak on more subjects (aka "work").

Alas, Northern Ireland voters have expressed their view that they prefer armchair spectators at Westminster in any case.

You get what you vote for.
24 June 2010 at 15:58
yourcousin said…
This post does highlight a topic that sprung into my mind when reading yeserday about Cameron's comments on SF allowances on Slugger. If SF should be disallowed their allowances then shouldn't there be some kind of mandatory attendance policy in Westminister? If said parliamentarian fell below a certain attendance rate should their allowances be cut?
25 June 2010 at 00:39
Dilettante said…
I love the idea that 'Anonymous' puts forward that now she has won the vote it is 'arrogant' to criticise her.
25 June 2010 at 07:53
slug said…
Budget debate yesterday-no Sylvia appearance

Prime Ministers Questions on Weds-lots of NI MPs but no Sylvia.
25 June 2010 at 12:06
slug said…
6th July update: Still no sign of the North Down MP.

Has not spoken, according to theyworkforyou. Every single other NI MP (outside SF) has spoken, many several times.

Is this what North Down wants?
6 July 2010 at 10:48
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