The Courant has reported my reselection as follows:
"Guy Opperman, the former barrister and amateur jockey has been unanimously re-selected by Hexham Conservative Association as their prospective candidate to defend his 5,700 majority.
Since being elected in 2010, Mr Opperman has built up an enviable reputation as an energetic and committed MP who has visited and taken up issues in just about every town and village in his 1,000 square mile constituency. Speaking after his re-selection Mr Opperman said: “It has been a real honour to serve as Hexham’s local MP for the last four years.
“I hope I have tried to do things a little bit differently from the standard MP. I have tried my hardest to get stuck in, get my hands dirty and not be afraid to stand up for our community.”
He is proud of the fact that he has always been his own man and not afraid to oppose the Tory party line.
He said: “When the Government has got it wrong, like considering regional pay for the public sector, or selling off our forests, I have been the first to stand up and say so.
“I don’t pretend to have all the answers. I am certainly far from the perfect politician. I don’t always get it right. Sometimes I make the wrong call, and I know not everyone might agree with me on all the issues.”
Mr Opperman hit the national headlines in April 2011 when he collapsed in the House of Commons after suffering severe headaches and was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
He was rushed to hospital and underwent emergency surgery and has now made a full a recovery.
He acknowledges his “incredible debt” to the National Health Service which saved his life and is a leading champion of the NHS in Parliament.
He continued: “ They say a week is a long time in politics; in which case, a year must be a lifetime. I hope over the next year, leading up to the election, I can work to continue to earn people’s votes, not as an MP they always agree with – or as an MP with all the answers – but as a local MP who always puts our area first and stands up for local people. That is why I am standing for re-election – to carry on that fight for our community and put local people first
Full report here:
http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk/news/hexham-mp-will-run-for-re-election-after-vote-of-confidence-1.1116128
