As the MP for Great Yarmouth settled into his first full day as a backbencher in the House of Commons he pledged to keep banging the drum about his constituency.
Brandon Lewis resigned as lord chancellor and the secretary of state for justice on Tuesday as Rishi Sunak became prime minister.
While as cabinet minister Mr Lewis could use his influence in the corridors of power to support and gain investment in the Great Yarmouth area, he had been limited by what he could say about his constituency in the House of Commons due to his ministerial roles.
He had served on the front bench of successive governments for 10 years and had been in the cabinet for five years.
In that time he had held eight ministerial posts across five departments.
Over the course of the last five years Mr Lewis had only mentioned Great Yarmouth five times in the House of Commons due to what he called rules over ministerial business.
Ministers speak on behalf of the government from the frontbenches during parliamentary debates and must answer questions put to them by other MPs.
They can also may make oral statements to parliament which usually address major incidents, government policies or actions.
Now he is a backbencher Mr Lewis is free to bring up issues and promote the virtues of his constituency in debates and at prime minister's question time.
Mr Lewis said: "After a decade serving as a minister in government, I am looking forward to supporting the new prime minster from the backbenches.
"As ever, I will continue to relentlessly bang the drum for Great Yarmouth in Westminster, and speak up for the concerns of my constituents.
"From supporting the efforts to restore our economy; through to facing down Putin, and tackling illegal immigration, the government has a long to-do list, and working with my excellent Conservative colleagues in both local and national government I will make sure that the investing in Great Yarmouth and Norfolk remains high up in it."
The five times Mr Lewis mentioned his constituency in the House of Commons since this time in 2017 relate to his former role as Northern Ireland secretary this year, a debate on EU negotiations in 2020, a Covid business support debate in 2020 and the EU settlement scheme in 2019.
In comparison, neighbouring MP Peter Aldous, of the Waveney constituency, had mentioned Lowestoft 170 times over the same five year period.
However Mr Lewis had highlighted how his cabinet roles and links in the corridors of power have helped to secure vital investment for the borough.
He had listed the £121m third crossing, which is being built, as a main achievement.
Mr Lewis also mentioned the 2021 budget, which confirmed that Great Yarmouth would be receiving a Town Deal of £20.1m of government investment to help to shape regeneration, jobs and growth in the area and £13.7 million from the government’s Future High Streets Fund to revive and transform the town centre.
Carl Smith, the Conservative leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, was sure Mr Lewis would keep fighting for his constituency.
Mr Smith said: "Obviously now he will be able to raise issues in parliament which relate to Great Yarmouth and obviously he will do.
"He did when he first went in to parliament and I am sure he will now.
"I believe he said in his resignation letter he will now represent Great Yarmouth from the backbenches which is what MPs are there for.
"Hopefully he will carry on getting the investment in like he has done over the past few years.
"He has supported us in our levelling up funds and investment zones so let's see where he goes.
"He has never forgotten Yarmouth, I see the work he does and speak to him regularly.
"He has always supported everything that has been going on. It was good to have someone in the cabinet as you can then get things done.
"But obviously he has got those contacts over 10 years and hopefully he can still use them and he can continue with the good work he has done for Yarmouth over those 12 years overall he has been in power."
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