Therefore, I am not unchanged from the experience of being an MP. People often say to me, "Why on earth would you want to be an MP?", referring to the endless criticisms—some fair, some not—the hours of work, the arduous travel schedule, endless days away from family and your home, and, even when you are at home or off the clock, eagerly watching for media alerts. Being an MP is all-consuming; it's not like normal employment, where you get to switch off at the end of the day.