Annette Brooke wins MP of the Year

Congratulations to Annette Brooke, Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset & North Poole and someone who has always impressed me as one of the party’s best yet under-rated talents*, for winning MP of the Year in the Dods & Scottish Widows Women in Public Life Awards.

The accolade was awarded by a panel of judges which included Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty, Dame Suzi Leather, Chair of The Charity Commission and Dame Barbara Stocking, Chief Executive of Oxfam.

The judges said that Annette Brooke deserved to win thanks to her record of “tirelessly lending her wisdom, position and huge skill to help hundreds of children’s organisations, and by association, many thousands of children. Public life would be very much the poorer were it not for Annette Brooke and her absolute determination to use her public position to do good,”

On winning the award Annette Brooke said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have won this award. Children and young people are our future, and it is inspiring working with so many wonderful children’s charities and organisations. To be recognised for this work is incredible, especially as there was such stiff competition.”

Well done Annette.

* I particularly remember a remarkably cool and level-headed phone call to me on polling day in 2005 when there was an electoral problem in her constituency. Such calmness and cool judgement at a moment of high stress is a valuable skill.