"As a new MP, you walk through the Members’ Lobby filled with a vision of how you will leave your mark on both Parliament and the nation, exercising your power to improve the lives of the voters.

"What you are almost certainly unaware of is that your constituents, the government, the press and the very institution of the Palace of Westminster have other plans for you."

So it was for Nick de Bois in May 2010 when, with an unimpressive and insecure majority of 1,692, he began the journey of a lifetime, meeting head-on the bizarre, the inexplicable, the touching, the shocking, the vitally important and, thank God, lots of utter nonsense as well.

Confessions of a Recovering MP is a humorous, anecdote-filled romp through the corridors of power, exposing the eccentricities of the Mother of all Parliaments and revealing the peculiar demands that come with being an MP.

Nick de Bois was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for Enfield North. He lost the seat at the 2015 general election.

Mr de Bois will hold an event on January 24, including a book signing, reception and Q&A, at the North Enfield Conservative Club. Contact office@enfieldnorthconservatives.org