I have to admit I was very impressed the first time I met one of our MPs, Tim Loughton.

It was during the election campaign of 1997 and he actually knocked on my door in Broadwater.

He took time to listen to our concerns regarding the NHS and education and I thought that, regardless of his politics, he was the right sort of person to be representing the town at Westminster.

But it's six years down the line and I'm beginning to wonder if too much time in the corridors of power have changed him for the worst.

I thought he wanted to make a difference. Now all he seems to want to do is score petty political points against his opponents.

Most recently it was his chance to slate a Liberal Democrat politician, who was not actually from around here, for apparently condoning Worthing's cannabis caf.

Has our man at Westminster ever heard the phrase "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones?"

Whether we like it or not, drugs are unfortunately now a big part of everyday society. Perhaps Mr Loughton would like to ask everyone in his local party if they have ever dabbled?

I'm sure that with such a cross-section of people he might not get the answer he expected or wanted to hear but it might make him think twice about crucifying opponents in the Press for, on the face of it, something that was not that big a deal.

Last week the Metropolitan Police invited former Westminster Tory councillor Dame Shirley Porter to return to the UK to face questioning over irregularities and to pay back the £40 million she allegedly owes the city.

In the grand scheme of things, condoning a few ageing hippies smoking pot pales into insignificance but imagine how Mr Loughton would react if his local opponents tried scoring points off him on that one?

On the subject of local financial matters, perhaps there is something our MP could do?

The Worthing councillors' allowances were recently published. The records show that in two separate cases the borough paid out more than £3,000 to two Conservative councillors.

On the face of it, those figures are not that out of the ordinary until the respective councillors' attendance records are checked.

One made it to two meetings in 12 months, the other four.

Whatever their party, that is nothing short of scandalous. Knowing both individuals, I can't see any mitigating circumstances.

Although I don't hit the Big 40 for another 13 months, I think I've reached one landmark in my life, which probably indicates reaching a certain age.

Driving in the car the other Sunday afternoon, my 10-year-old daughter Amy was horrified when I suggested that instead of listening to the charts we tune into Diddy David Hamilton's million sellers show on Splash 107.7.

"But all the records are really old!" she argued.

"Yes but at least I've heard of them and they are all tuneful," I retorted.

"Dad, you're such an old fogey," she replied.

With the current music of today, I wouldn't have it any other way.