youknow, theseedswereplantedwhen I wasmuchyounger.
Actually.
Mydad's familydoctor, mymomranthelocalpharmacywhere I grewup, and I grewupwatchingthemdayin, dayout.
Make a differencetoourcommunity.
And I workedonmymom's chemist, deliveredmedicine, and I alwaysrememberwhatpeoplewouldsayaboutmyparentstomeonthedifferencethatmadetotheirlives.
And I thoughtonedayif I coulddothesamething, youknow, making a differenceto a communitythewaymyparentsdidnotbehappy.
Well, because I wasn't goodenoughsciencetobe a doctor.
But I'm veryinterestedineconomicsandthatsideofthingsinpublicpolicy.
So I thinkforme, beinganMPand a goodlocalMPisawayfromyoutohelppeopleandthenhopefullymake a differencehereonedayaswell, youknow, howdidtheactiveintereststartling.
That's whereyoutalkedaboutthis.
Butwhendiditbecome a career, youknow?
Onlyveryrecently.
I'm oneofthesepeoplewhothinks I thinkParliamentbenefitsfrommemberswhohavehadexperienceoutsideofpoliticians, whetherthat's inteachinglaworinmycaseofbusinessandfinance.
I thinkifyoucanbringthatexperiencefromanothercareerintothehousesofParliament, andthatwillhelpyoube a betterpolitician, helpyoumake a policy.
Soforme, itwas, youknow, I got a latelatetransition.
Well, hetherehavebeenmanyconversationsfrom a veryErnietime, actuallysomething I spoketohimaboutyearsagowhenwefirstmetandsoonasnoted, Thenotehasalwaysbeenanambitionofmine, andhe's beenincrediblysupportivethatthey'reprobablyhasbeenmynumberonesupporteractuallycampaigning.
Hey, heflewinjustintimefortheelectionson a rarechangeforhim.
Hewasjusttoldwhattodowaygavehim a bagandsomeleafletson, buthehadtogooutanddeliverleafletsonDhe, largelyjustbeingpolitetoeveryoneonnotengagethem.
Toomuchdebate, which I thinkyoumanageadmirably.
Sohowdidhowdidthisconstituencyhappenforyou?
And I believeitwasfairlycompetitiveaswell.
Yes, I went.
WilliamHague, previousSecretaryofStateforforeignretiredlocalAssociationofRichmond, whichismyconstituencyinYorkshire, ran a processofelectoralprocessandtheyreceivedover 200 applicationstotakeWilliamsspotonovertheprocessofsomeweeksandmonthsofinterviewsandtests.
Wewhittleditdown, andinthefinalmeeting, I waselectedbythelocalmembers, youknow, withover 50% ofthevotefortheTories.
But, youknow, you'reclearlytheminoritythere.
Well, historicallyhasbeen a conservativeseat.
You'reright, butyoudon't takeanythingforgranted.
I mean, youYeah.
I mean, youseewhat's happeninginthiscountryinScotland, whichusedtobe a strongholdersnoworgone.
I thinkitmatterswhatvaluesonandwhatyou'regonnadoforpeople.
And I thinkifyoucanshowthemthatyourvaluesandsimilaronyourworkhomefortherewasnever a factoryouthinkinwhatpartingettingintopoliticsandspecificallyinthisparticularconstituencywasconcerned, Wasithardtotryandconvincepeopletolookbeyondethnicityandsoonandsoforth?
Knowwhatyouknow?
Youlookattheelectionresultway.
We'rereallyhappywewonover 50% ofthevoteat a greatteam.
Weworkveryhard, and I thinkthatthetestamenttotheworkthatweputinandhopefullythatyouownyourethnicity I'd liketothinksoentirelywhatyoumean.