GIDEON Amos, Taunton and Wellington’s new Member of Parliament, has made his maiden parliamentary speech, describing his pride of being able to represent his constituency.

Mr Amos, one of 72 newly elected Liberal Democrat MPs, won his Taunton and Wellington seat in the 2024 General Election with a majority of 11,939 votes.

Making his maiden speech, the MP told the chamber: "It's the greatest privilege of my life to serve the residents of Taunton and Wellington.

“I'm here to do one thing – work for them, and to stand up for them to those in power, whenever that's the right thing to do.”

Taunton and Wellington’s new MP also took the opportunity to pay tribute to his Conservative predecessor, Rebecca Pow, who served as MP for Taunton Deane from 2015 to 2024.

He said: “I want to give credit to the former member for Taunton Deane, the Conservative, Rebecca Pow.

“Her enthusiasm for gardening and wildlife is, I'm sure, something that she'll continue to contribute to, and she was, of course, Minister for Water and for our rivers.

“Being partial to a dip in the river myself from time to time, I was pleased to successfully apply for bathing water status for a stretch of the River Tone to get the improvement in water quality that we desperately need in our rivers in Taunton.”

The Lib Dem MP also paid tribute to Liberal Democrat MP Jeremy Browne, Member of Parliament for Taunton Deane from 2005 to 2015, before outlining the area’s outstanding cultural attractions – including the Gaumont Theatre, which is now home to Mecca bingo.

“They all come together to mean that not only do we have a Mecca, but our area is also a cultural Mecca from which people come from far and wide.”

He also celebrated the huge range of educational opportunities such as Richard Huish College and the University Centre Somerset now offering degrees like nursing.

Mr Amos added: “All these institutions, together with the UK Hydrographic Office, make Taunton the ideal location for new research and innovation entrepreneurs. Only 104 minutes from Paddington.

“And to all of them I say, come and enjoy the amazing quality of life we offer and when they come to Taunton, they'll find we have a ticket office at the station, which is still working,”

He continued: “We encourage people coming to Wellington, as well, and I look forward to working hard on the Wellington station project.

"I invite the Secretary of State, or indeed the Rail Minister to visit the project.”

Mr Amos concluded his speech by drawing upon his family’s military connections and speaking of the need to uphold the liberal and democratic values fought for by past generations.

“Surely their bravery demands that we always, from all sides of this house, always say no to those who would stir up division, despair, and hatred for nothing more than to get votes because they have nothing positive to offer people instead.”