South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon denies 'gone missing' claims

A MP has responded to criticism from voters that he had gone "missing" from his constituency duties.

Constituents said they felt ignored by Conservative MP Richard Bacon after he sent a generic reply to 82 of them, copying in their personal email addresses.

Posters went up in his South Norfolk constituency declaring him "missing".

He said he was "doing his best to make himself available", and that the pandemic had restricted appearances.

He met villagers from Bressingham, near Diss, and the surrounding communities to talk about their concerns over a bioenergy development currently going through the planning process.

While there, he responded to allegations that he had been overlooking his constituency duties, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Mr Bacon said: "I'm here, I'm here right now.

"I have to point out we have gone through a pandemic. It has not been easy to be around, it has not been easy to do constituency surgeries and most places I would normally visit like schools have either been closed or under huge restrictions."

He added: "The worst thing for many MPs is not being able to be out and about as much as they have always liked to be among their residents, talking to them.

"I'm very glad for that reasons we are seeing a lifting of the Covid restrictions."

The MP has referred himself to the Information Commissioner's Office over the sharing of his constituents' email addresses.

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