THEY say life begins at 40 and that certainly applies to Dr Kieran Mullan as he embarks on a new chapter in his life.
The former Conservative MP for Crewe and Nantwich is now representing Bexhill and Battle having won the seat for the Tories, albeit with a vastly reduced majority at the General Election on July 4.
Dr Mullan recently celebrated his 40th birthday with family and friends but knows full well that plenty of work lies ahead for his party following Labour’s crushing victory and the rise of Reform UK under its charismatic leader Nigel Farage.
“Yes, there is plenty of work to be done to rebuild the Conservative Party,” he candidly admitted. “The in-fighting has to stop and we must unite under a new leader once they have been chosen.
“But my main focus, having had the privilege of being chosen to represent the people of Bexhill and Battle, is to listen to their concerns and act on them whenever possible.”
Mr Mullan stressed that he intends to be a “hands on” MP and be a visible presence in the town whenever he is not at the Houses of Parliament.
He added: “During the election campaign I had the opportunity to meet hundreds of constituents and to listen to their concerns directly.
“They are many and varied as you would expect so it is patently clear there is plenty of work to be done.”
The former doctor also confirmed he will be living in the constituency. “I believe that once elected you should live in your constituency,” he said.
“I will be doing that and hope to take over the office in Sea Road previously occupied by my predecessor Huw Merriman for regular surgeries.”
When asked about his main priorities Mr Mullan stressed that it is important to listen, learn and try to offer assistance when possible.
“My job is to represent the people of Bexhill and Battle regardless of who they voted for at the General Election,” he said.
“I acknowledge there is lots of work to be done but I am ready for that challenge.”
During his campaign Mr Mullan said the key issues raised on the doorstep were, among other things, the future of Northeye, the provision of housing and protecting the green belt.
He said: It is clear that the people of Bexhill have different priorities to the residents of Battle or Robertsbridge.
“Obviously, you can’t fix everything but you quickly discover what people are interested in and what they care about.”
Two other key concerns regularly raised are Southern Water and the state of the roads in the constituency with the seemingly never-ending battle to combat the proliferation of potholes.
Mr Mullan said: “When there are sewage spills and overflows, yes, I will certainly be holding Southern Water to account. It is crucial that we do everything in our power to protect the environment.
“The first thing I did having been elected was to write to Southern Water and also to the relevant authorities about the state of our roads.
“It was the first step to take, demonstrating to people that I will act on my priorities. I understand that people are sceptical about the previous government and the Conservatives have lots of work to do both locally and nationally.
“I want to have regular meetings with Southern Water to make sure water quality is up to standard.
“Bexhill is a seaside resort and nobody should have to worry about going into the sea.”
There have also been consistent calls for more budget hotels to be available to attract more visitors who fancy an overnight stay but Mr Mullan said this cannot happen overnight.
He said: “At this stage I don’t think it’s right for me to be overly descriptive in what I want to see regarding how we can improve Bexhill.
“I hear loud and clear that it’s an obvious gap in our town but I think we need to make the space for people to come forward with ideas.
“My door is always open for people to give ideas about what they want to see in the High Street.”
Finally, back to the future of the Conservative party as they look to rebuild after such a shattering defeat which saw Sir Keir Starmer installed as Prime Minister at Number Ten Downing Street.
Mr Mullan bucked the national trend of Conservatives losing seats hand over fist and believes now is a time for reflection as the party seeks to recuperate.
He said: “I would like to see a halt to the infighting. People had enough of that. No-one wants to see all the bickering, they don’t want to see pointless rowing.
“We need to put forward a united message. We need to be seen as competent, restoring trust and being professional.
“In terms of policies, it’s time for reflection. We as a party need to make sure we put forward policies we can deliver.
“We need to restore trust and unite but, first and foremost, I will be focusing on delivering for the people of Bexhill, Battle and our rural communities.”
