I’ve lived in this constituency for over 20 years and my wife, Alison, and I have brought our family up here. We’re an established part of the community and we’ve found a whole range of ways in which we can contribute.

For me that’s included formal ways, for example as a parish and county councillor and now as MP, and also more social ways such as running local choirs, AmDram and supporting local charities.

With that sort of background, it seems to me to be the most natural thing to want to represent in Parliament the place where you live.

But I also bring a range of national and international experience which I’ve gathered from business and broadcasting. If you’re going to make laws about some of the big issues of the day it helps to have had experience of them and to be able to bring a practical eye to bear.

It was a huge privilege to play a part in the move of central and eastern Europe towards democracy and market economies. I’m proud of the way I was able to help UK plc take its proper place in this through my board membership of the Know How Fund, the UK’s then technical assistance programme for the region. It was also a particular challenge to lead UK business delegations twice to G7 meetings (under the Munster process) in central Europe and get involved in the world of international diplomacy. National recognition of this with the award of an OBE was a great honour.

I understand how business works too. As a former partner in Ernst & Young I’ve seen and advised some of our major companies. But I’ve also set up two SMEs (Small and Medium sized Enterprises) and understand both the pressures they face and the key role they have in providing jobs.

As a business presenter for BBC World Service Television I had the privilege of questioning and commenting on some of the major UK and international business stories of the day.

It was these skills I was able successfully to bring to bear as a cabinet member on the county council responsible for driving through better customer service and real efficiencies. During my time there we were able to bring down the rate by which the council tax rose in every year.

In my role as your MP, these strands of my life have been drawn together. During my first term in parliament I showed that it was not a case of either being a good constituency MP or a good MP in Westminster. It was a case of being both. The map page on this web site shows the vists I have made across what is a large constituency of some 260 square miles.

I have also ensured that I am accessible. The home page explains my programme of local meetingts - John Howell In Touch. A list of surgeries can also be found on this web-site. I moved my surgeries from late Friday afternoon to Saturday morning to allow those with children and those who work to have access to me.  I've also held surgeries at RAF Benson. I’ve taken up major campaigns within the constituency details of which can be found on this site. There's also been time, though. to enjoy the river and the special events which the constituency puts on throughout the summer.

Local campaigning was how I got into politics here defending a large area around Benson from open-cast gravel mining and defending the Green Belt to the south of Oxford City from massive housing development.

I’ve a reputation in Parliament for holding ministers and experts to account through questioning on select committee, through bill committees and in the House. I speak regularly in debates. And there have been a lot of compliments at the way I am handling the vast volume of e mails and letters from constituents which arrive every day.

I am an effective champion for this area both locally and in Parliament and I am pleased to serve as your MP.