Karen, along with many other new MPs, enjoyed the sights and intrigues of Westminster last week and tasted, however briefly, the fruits of her success.

There was time to celebrate, time to meet old friends who’d fought election battles of their own and time to speculate on what form the new government might finally take.

It is not surprising that most new MPs liken it to moving up to a new school! And like many schools in your first days the hard part was finding her way around the labyrinth of Westminster trying to organise her office.  How can you roll up your sleeves and go to work when you’re lost!

Karen thanks everyone for all the letters of congratulations she has received but perhaps her most unusual and unexpected was one from His Excellency the President of the Maldives who she got to know as “Anni” when she worked on his election campaign not so long ago.