The sudden departure from Government Ministerial high office at Witney and a relatively lower one at Wantage recently was not expected. 

Especially by mere mortals who voted to stay in last month's EU referendum as sought by David Cameron

But the even more recent promotion from the back benches of our local MP for Oxford West and Abingdon has been an even greater personal shock.

Nicola Blackwood has been fighting the Government hierarchy on my behalf for a Bomber Command WW2 campaign medal ever since she won her seat in 2010 and retained it with increased majority last year. 

So this is bound to be good news for her politically that our new PM, Teresa May has promoted her to be Under Secretary of State for Health while the other two Conservative ex-Ministers will revert to being back benchers. 

But after my 12 year drive on behalf of all WW2 Bomber Command air and essential ground staff and their next of kin to persuade the British Government to cease their 70+ years of refusal to grant us this long overdue award, I sense that Nicola will find it more difficult to win, in view of her new responsibilities plus her attention as always to her care for her constituents: that it is now a lost cause. 

I am now 94 years old worn out and now a member of the Blind Veterans Society. Thank you for trying, Nicola.

JIM WRIGHT
Abingdon