Bradford South MP Judith Cummins on Deputy Speaker role

September has always been a time for change, not just the summer drawing to a close as autumn begins, but for many young people and their families who, after so much hard work studying and preparing for exams, prepare to move on to the next stage of their lives.

I wish everyone doing so the very best of luck.

The last few months have also been a time of huge change nationally, not least of all the change of government and the start of a new parliamentary session.

In July, just before the start of summer recess, I was honoured to be elected as Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.

The Houses of Parliament (Image: Pixabay)

It is an immense and humbling privilege to take on one of the most senior roles in Parliament, and it is a position I will use for Bradford, and indeed West Yorkshire.

It is the role of the Speaker and Deputy Speakers to preside over debates in the House of Common chamber, ensuring fairness and order in the Chamber.

These are roles that are steeped in a long history, dating back to at least the 14th Century, with first woman Deputy Speaker only elected in 1970.

We live in an increasingly uncertain world, and the role of MPs is important in providing strong, effective representation for all our constituents.

The Speaker and Deputy Speaker must be a fair voice who makes sure that the wide range of views held by the Members of Parliament who represent the tens of millions of people across the United Kingdom are heard.

It is no small task, and essential to the functioning of our democracy because when things go wrong, they can go very wrong, and have serious consequences for our nation and beyond.

I also proudly remain the Labour Member of Parliament for Bradford South and I will continue to fight for my constituents in Bradford on the issues that matter my new role as Deputy Speaker is a new opportunity to champion Bradford at the very highest levels of Government.

The MP recently ran a 'casework clinic' for organisations in her constituency (Image: Supplied)

And in just the few short weeks since the return to Parliament after the summer recess, I have already had the opportunity to preside over a number of important bills that have the potential to make a big difference to people in Bradford:

The Public Ownership Bill will bring about publicly owned railway services ensuring that passengers in Bradford and across the country are put at the heart of how our railway services are run.

Meanwhile, the Budget Responsibility Bill will create a lock to make sure that any fiscally significant announcements by the Government are backed up with analysis from the Office of Budget Responsibility.

The MP has spoken about the Budget Responsibility Bill (Image: PA)

No Government should be able to play fast and loose with public finances, and this will make sure we never again see a repeat of the disastrous mini-budget.

I also presided over important motions that will improve access to life-saving drugs, and support to encourage production and use of renewable fuels in the transport sector. This will help the United Kingdom move closer to energy independence – reducing our reliance on energy produced abroad.

I also oversaw the difficult debate on Winter Fuel Payments. As Deputy Speaker, it was my job to ensure that as many voices as possible were heard in Parliament on this important issue. I appreciate the concerns of people across Bradford South, Rest assured, I have raised these concerns directly with the Government.

Here in Bradford, I continue to regularly meet with residents, community organisation and businesses to hear about – and act on – the issues that matter to you, the people of Bradford.