MP Column: James Grundy on his busy start to life in Westminster

It has been a busy but interesting time in Westminster since I was returned as the first Conservative MP in the history of the Leigh constituency in the General Election.

My first official act as an MP was to re-elect our excellent new Speaker, Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle.

Mr Hoyle is well respected across the entire house, and I have great faith that he will restore dignity and order to the Commons chamber.

My second act was to vote for the Brexit bill, finally respecting the overwhelming vote of my constituents to leave the EU in the referendum.

The bill has now passed the Commons and is heading to the Lords, who I hope will have the good sense not to oppose it.

I am sure it will be a great relief for the vast majority of local people that there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel on the Brexit issue.

During the election huge numbers of people raised the issue on the doorstep, and I am as determined as the Prime Minister is to see that we meet the deadline of January 31 to get Brexit done, so we can move on to signing new trade deals with our allies around the world.

Finally on a personal note, when I got off the train at Euston on my first day in London, who should appear behind me but the MP for Wigan, Lisa Nandy.

Lisa greeted me warmly and kindly escorted me from there to the House of Commons, since I was unsure of the way there on the underground.

After all the bitterness and spite in politics during the last few years, I thought this was a lovely gesture.

If one of the first acts in the new parliament is the Labour MP for Wigan escorting the newly elected Conservative MP for Leigh to the Commons, then perhaps the politics of the country can be better than we have come to expect in recent times.

I hope this small act of kindness will be a sign of the political tone in the times ahead.