We now have a new Prime Minister and a new monarch, writes Helen Morgan MP.

While we had long expected Liz Truss to take over from Boris Johnson, the news about Queen Elizabeth’s death shocked us all.

As you read this, the final preparations will be being made for The Queen’s funeral and the period of mourning is continuing.

As a result, all ordinary Parliamentary business has been suspended. However MPs were given the chance to pay tribute to Her Majesty in the House of Commons and never have I felt more humbled to represent the people of North Shropshire.

As I said in Parliament, Queen Elizabeth was a leader who managed to unite the nation regardless of the circumstances. From wars to economic crises to the global pandemic, she always acted calmly and compassionately and I think many of us can learn from this.

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While the last week has been a period of great sadness, it has also provided an opportunity to hear heartwarming and cheering anecdotes about The Queen. It has been lovely to see people smiling during such a time of grief and as someone with such a sharp sense of humour I am sure The Queen would appreciate this.

Many constituents have contacted me to share their gratitude for her life of public service. This has brought home how fortunate we were to be able to celebrate The Queen and show our appreciation during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations this year. It was lovely to see the communities across North Shropshire unite and demonstrate so strongly how much The Queen was appreciated.

It is not yet clear when Parliament will return but when it does the immediate focus will be on holding the new government to account and pushing for action to help the people of North Shropshire during the winter ahead.