I'M quickly finding out how varied an MP’s life can be.

Highlights recently include taking a blindfolded walk through Pontypool town centre with Sight Cymru and Guide Dogs Cymru, to help publicise the challenges faced by people with visual impairments.

I was also pleased to attend the opening of the new Post Office in Blaenavon, support Friends of the Earth’s campaign for bees, and speak with a huge variety of other local groups and individuals.

Of course, our job as MPs isn’t just to do get involved locally. It’s also our task as opposition MPs to hold the Government to account in Parliament. That shouldn’t mean disagreeing with the Government all the time for the sake of it, but it does mean we should challenge them – especially when we think Ministers have got it wrong.

One area where I disagree strongly with the Government is on their Trade Union Bill, so I spoke against it in the House of Commons during a recent debate.

For me, trade unions are a vital part of public life, in the battle for ordinary men and women to get a better deal in the workplace.

Without unions, many of the things we take for granted wouldn’t exist - like paid holidays, safe working conditions, or maternity and paternity leave.

Too often in our society, wealth and power are concentrated in the hands of too few people. Trade unions are vital if we are to build a fairer economy. So instead of creating conflict and making enemies of Unions, the Government would be well advised to look at the German model, where unions are seen as important partners, helping to build economic growth, create jobs and get a better deal for working people.

The past month has been eventful in the Labour Party, with a new leader elected. One of Jeremy Corbyn’s first jobs was to put together a ‘Front Bench’ team of Labour MPs to hold the Government to account. I was pleased to be asked to become Shadow Pensions Minister, as part of the Work and Pensions team.

One of our key tasks as a team will be to challenge the Government on their benefit reforms. Too many of their policies have shown a desire to chase headlines rather than reach a workable solution for our welfare state, and too many vulnerable people have been caught in the crossfire. As Shadow Pensions Minister, I will also be dealing with an issue that is important to a huge number of my constituents – of how we can deliver a decent and dignified retirement to people in their later years.