5 October 2021

Peter Bottomley interview: The longest-serving MP on why politicians should be paid as much as doctors

The Father of the House opens up about his decades in office, the government’s “incredible mistakes” on planning, and life as a liberal Tory.

By Anoosh Chakelian

Peter Bottomley MP, photographed in his old constituency of Eltham in South London. Photos by David Bebber for the New Statesman

Being on the road with a former roads minister makes you see the UK differently. “That’s the Rochester Way Relief Road,” says Peter Bottomley, pointing from the window of his baby blue MG hybrid to the A2 dual carriageway roaring beneath Eltham station, as if it’s the eighth wonder of the world. There is a moment of awed silence.

“I got the campaign going for that. Because this had been a marginal seat, people had always feared that building a road through it might lose you 500 votes – you might lose the seat, you might lose the government, you might then leave Nato, world peace, all the rest…”