IT’S beginning to look a lot like Christmas around Westminster this month with cards flooding in.

There was a festive lunch in the members’ tea room and a staff children’s party where both Hector and I were a bit shocked to see Ed Balls dressed as Father Christmas (while the real one is busy at the North Pole making toys, as any young readers will know).

I was tempted to ask him for a coherent economic policy as my present but I refrained, as it is the season of good cheer.

A wave of good cheer greeted the Prime Minister on his return from Brussels last week.

I believe strongly in the single market, want to do nothing to inhibit the eurozone 17 from sorting out their problems, which are having a chilling effect on our economy, and always want our government to stand up for British interests, so I was pleased with the outcome.

The eurozone’s problems are not over yet and, as one commentator aptly said, if we are isolated then it is like being the passenger who turned away from boarding the Titanic on its maiden voyage.

I was not so cheerful when I made my maiden appearance on Question Time from Stokeon- Trent last week.

I have done a bit of TV now and know how to handle Jeremy Paxman, but QT was new and terrifying territory.

All the senior ministers I spoke to before the event said it was the most nervewracking public experience they had ever had – and they were right. I was so glad to get back to Wiltshire last Friday, join in the Salisbury Spinal Injuries Trust Santa fun run in Salisbury on Saturday and finally get some winter bulbs in the ground (weeks late) on Sunday.

It is such a privilege representing the people of the Devizes constituency in Westminster and I wish you all a Happy Christmas and peaceful New Year.