Frantic rush to get out two of the most urgent casework queries from Friday’s surgeries and write my maiden speech. Difficult process – as traditionally you are meant to say something nice about your predecessor, describe your constituency and that’s about it.

Having listened to a few already like that, it seemed a bit pointless to not have any substance. But how to get away with it in the confines of what’s “expected” of a maiden speech?

I had dropped a note to the Speaker (which is what you do) the previous week to ask to speak on the Tuesday of the Queen’s Speech debate. Tuesday was for debating education and health – only you don’t really have to relate your speech to the subject – but a fleeting nod in that direction is appreciated.

You have to be in the chamber at the start of the debate – rise to your feet at the end of every speech to indicate to the Speaker that you want to be called – and not leave the chamber at any time or you lose your place.

So starting at 2.30pm I got up. I sat down. I got up. I sat down. This performance went on and on and on. Various colleagues coming and going throughout the process – including my mentor Don Foster (each of us new kids have been given a mentor). Don has a flip through my speech and seems to think it OK.

At around 8pm – by which time I am parched, hot and very warn out from the tension – Don goes and has a word with the Speaker to get me excused for a ten minute break and we go to the ‘smoking room’ where Don and John Thurso have whisky – and I have a glass of water. This is not the time to have a drink as much as I want one.

I go back into the chamber having managed to give a quick phonecall to my daughter to say I think I will be called in the next hour. Sure enough – at about 9.20pm I rise to my feet to attract Mr Speaker’s attention – and realise – as I am literally the last one standing that he will finally call me – and he does.

I was nervous – I saw on the tape that my kids took – a bit of shaking of papers. However, it went well I think. (You can watch the speech for up to a fortnight after it was given on the Parliament TV website – click on Archive on the left and then search for my name – so judge for yourself! Or read it in Hansard.).

I covered the ground I wanted to: Hornsey Town Hall (getting the Deputy Prime Minister to exempt Haringey from best value rules so it doesn’t just have to be sold off to the highest bidder); phone masts (the need for legislation to give local authorities powers to refuse applications on the precautionary grounds); school places (shortage of); over-cramming development with poor design and inadequate health, school and transport infrastructure; gun and knife crime and anti-social behaviour.

A huge sense of relief flooded through me as I finished. THe Labour MP who followed was very flattering – and I am grateful that it all went so well. Everyone had warned me that the first time you rise in the House to speak your knees knock and your hands shake – and thus it was.

Out onto the terrace (so beautiful) for a quick drink. Mark Oaten (our Shadow Home Secretary) joins us. Can’t remember if I already said – but I am to be in the Home Office team and Mark has informed me that I will be spokesperson for Police, Crime and Disorder – which is just the best possible brief.

I go home to my children and we watch the tape they made of me speaking. They liked it – but eldest daughter says my hair is a disgrace and needs cutting!