A TUMULTUOUS two weeks in Westminster has ended with the appointment of a new Prime Minister, Theresa May.

I am pleased that the process of selecting a leader and Prime Minister has been able to end early, providing businesses and households with much-needed confidence.

The government can now get on with the critical job of implementing the referendum result, and turn to delivering the social justice agenda so needed to unite our country.

Theresa May has all the qualities to be a successful Prime Minister: deep experience of government, an unambiguous determination to deliver on the referendum result in the nation’s interest, and an ability to represent the whole party and country, not just a limited faction. It is an understatement to say that she will have a huge task ahead of her, but she will have my warm support.

David Cameron leaves Downing Street with great dignity having provided strong and capable leadership through a time of enormous political difficulty, and having seen significant international and domestic challenges over the years of his premiership.

This week I chaired a session of the House of Commons Work and Pensions Select Committee, hearing from expert witnesses about the future of Jobcentre Plus, and in particular the role of Work Coaches who form a central part of the government’s welfare reform plans in helping people both to get into work and make progress in work.

I am also hoping to make a contribution to the two-day debate on the Chilcot Report on Wednesday in the House of Commons.

I enjoyed attending Wyvern College’s end of year service in the cathedral on Friday, as well as the Salisbury Journal Education Awards that evening – I was very pleased to celebrate so much success in our schools.