The Advertiser shadowed Sherwood Forest MP Michelle Welsh during a typical day at the Houses of Parliament
Have you ever wondered what an MP gets up to in a day?
From the outside, there can often be confusion about the day to day work of our MPs, especially when they are in London.
To find out, the Advertiser spent a day at the Houses of Parliament with Sherwood Forest MP Michelle Welsh, and was given access to areas the public would not ordinarily be able to see.
Michelle was first elected in July 2024, but brought with her a great deal of political experience as a county and borough councillor in Nottinghamshire.
In a typical week, she will spend three days in London, taking part in various committee meetings and votes, chairing the All Party Parliamentary Group on Maternity, attending Prime Minister's Questions, and meeting with community and government officials about issues which affect residents in her constituency.
Although schedules may vary, the remaining weekdays will be spent in the constituency, holding appointments and attempting to address residents’ issues.
"It is not unusual for me to do a 90 hour week,” she said.
“There are a lot of misconceptions about what being a member of parliament is like, and it is a challenge because we are up against a narrative that when we are in London we don't do anything.
“Typically I will get in at 9 o’clock in the morning for a committee meeting, and by the time all the voting is done I often won’t leave until around 10 o’clock at night.
“On top of that, we have whatever has come through from the constituency. It all adds up.
"I recognise that I am in a very privileged position, but the reality is, the work never really finishes. There is always more to do and people to speak to.
"Even though you're here, you're never too far away from the constituency either, and ultimately your responsibility is to still be there for them.”
Upon entering Parliament, it is hard not to be awestruck by its history, walking the halls of power where so many important moments in our nation’s story had taken place.
My visit also coincided on an important day, with a key vote on decriminalising abortion due to be held that evening that would quietly affect the order of business.
As I would later be told, and come to realise, “no day is ever like it’s planned”.
In order to keep everything running as smoothly as possible, MPs have everything they might need on site, including restaurants and a bar, a private entrance from Westminster tube station, and even a fully functioning post office.
The Houses of Parliament also hold many hidden secrets and details which the public may not ordinarily be able to see.
One such detail is a plaque, hidden away in an inconspicuous broom cupboard, where famed Suffragette Emily Wilding Davison hid herself on the night of the 1911 census as an act of rebellion during the campaign to gain women’s voting rights, so that she could list her location as the House of Commons.
It is therefore incredible to think that the same building where women once had to go to such extreme lengths just for their voices to be heard, is now home to 263 elected female MPs, the highest number ever, representing 40% of all House members.
These MPs now provide a voice for communities and issues which historically may not have received as much attention from the majority male institution.
This brings us to the first agenda item of the day, a session about health and social care in the House of Commons.
It is here that the inner workings of government are at their most visible and MPs have the opportunity to make statements, and question their peers and the government about issues important to their constituents.
During the session, Michelle rose to ask for further investment in community midwives so that more families are able to receive proper support throughout a pregnancy and beyond.
The Minister of State for Social Care, Stephen Kinnock, agreed with her comments saying community healthcare had been “chronically underfunded and neglected”, and that it would be “front and centre” in the government’s upcoming 10 year healthcare plan.
Watching from the public gallery, the peculiar formalities of the chamber, with bobbing to indicate a desire to speak, seem somewhat unusual yet oddly efficient.
Following the session, Michelle had arranged to attend a series of drop in sessions at Portcullis House, an administrative building across the road, where officials can meet with the public, businesses, charities, and other organisations.
Michelle met with representatives from several charities and community organisations advocating for causes which could directly benefit those in Sherwood Forest.
These include meeting The Children’s Foundation to talk about their baby box initiative, which aims to provide all new mothers with the essentials they need for babies to develop in the first weeks of their life.
Some towns in Sherwood Forest are ranked among the highest areas of deprivation in Nottinghamshire, including Bilsthorpe and Ollerton.
There were also meetings with men’s mental health charities Movember and Talk Club, aimed at encouraging more men to speak about their mental health before it is too late.
This is a topic especially important, as Ollerton is reported to have one of the highest suicide rates among young men in the county.
When asked about what keeps her motivated, Michelle simply said “inequality”.
"To me, where you were born should not determine your future,” she added. "I get really frustrated that there are systems which still exist today that means children growing up on estates like I did don't get a chance.
"Seeing inequality and injustice from a young age, and a lot of the friends I grew up with are still living in poverty today.
"If I can be a voice for those people when the decisions are being made, it makes a huge difference.”
These sessions also provided an opportunity for Michelle to have conversations with her fellow Nottinghamshire MPs Steven Yemm of Mansfield and Lee Anderson of Ashfield, before holding online talks with regional leaders such as East Midlands Mayor Claire Ward.
In the afternoon, the focus then shifted to the future as Michelle appealed for a debate to be held about the issue of baby loss during Baby Loss Awareness Week in October.
To ensure that time in the House of Commons is used efficiently, MPs must apply for debate space through the Backbench Business Committee.
As chairman of the Maternity APPG, Michelle presented the debate application, which had the support of 77 MPs and three APPGs, as well as from former health secretary Jeremy Hunt to demonstrate that the motion had cross party support.
Currently, 65% of maternity services across England are rated as not fully safe for women. Here in Nottinghamshire a major review is taking place into the care given at Nottingham University Hospitals.
Explaining the need for the debate to be held in the House of Commons, Michelle said: "The chamber should be open to the people. It isn't owned by me, it isn't owned by the speaker, it is owned by every single person in this country.
"There is a national crisis in maternity, far too many mothers have been hurt, too many babies have been hurt and tragically died, parents have had to fight for answers.
“They deserve to be heard in those chambers and have the health minister answering to those people that have suffered for so long.
"So when he goes away and makes those important decisions about where to invest, in his head he will have the voices of the people.”
It was later confirmed that the application had been successful, and a debate will take place.
After a day of rushing back and forth from meeting to meeting, I had a chance to sit down with Michelle one on one, where I asked how she manages to keep energised.
"If you are doing something for the right reasons you find the energy from somewhere,” she said.
"I never thought that I would walk these corridors, that someone like me, from my background would be able to influence something with such importance as the future of maternity care, not only for Nottinghamshire but the whole of the country.
"I don't take my position for granted and it is a huge honour to represent the people of Sherwood Forest.
“What can be difficult, as you have seen, is that no day is ever like it’s planned.
"But when you have that drive and want to make change, you find that energy to keep going.
"I love my constituency and I want to be able to look around and know that a difference has been made and people's lives are better.”
As the clock struck 7pm, our time together came to an end, as she rushed off one last time to vote on the decriminalising abortion bill, which passed.
My day in Westminster was an enlightening one to say the least.
What stood out to me most was just how busy MPs actually are, with schedules prone to changing at the drop of a hat, and constant conversations about the future.
Michelle’s team of parliamentary and constituency aides, work diligently in the background to ensure things stay on track.
Of course, the effort put in can vary depending on the MP, but after witnessing first hand what is required from the job, I have a profound respect for anyone willing to take it on.
