Our new Leicestershire MPs will contribute a fortnightly column from the House of Commons. Here, Liz Kendall, Labour MP for Leicester West, reports on her initial priorities as she begins in Parliament

Don't be in awe of Parliament; it's just another workplace. Get out there and do your job. This was the first, and best, piece of advice I've had since I arrived at Westminster, from Labour's legendary "Beast of Bolsover", Dennis Skinner MP.

It's just over a month since I was elected as Leicester West's new MP.

Like anyone starting a new job, I've been trying to get up and running as quickly as possible. That's meant dealing with practical issues like setting up offices in the constituency and Parliament, employing staff and sorting out computers and IT.

I've been getting stuck into scrutinising Tory-LibDem proposals to cut public spending, asking Parliamentary questions about how Leicester West will be affected.

I'm supporting the campaign to save our outstanding Paediatric Cardiac Unit at Glenfield Hospital, demanding a House of Commons debate on the issue. I've also been holding surgeries and community coffee mornings to listen to local residents and take-up individual cases.

Being an effective MP means being clear about your priorities. Mine are the same as they were during the election campaign, and rooted in my constituents' concerns.

Top of the agenda is improving education and training. There's been real progress in Leicester West, but we've still got a mountain to climb before every child and young person has the qualifications and skills they need to get on in life.

I also want to champion local businesses and jobs. We can't rely on public services to create most of the jobs here, as they have in recent years.

Leicester has the potential to be a leading centre of modern manufacturing if we combine the entrepreneurial zeal of local businesses, our skills in design and technology, and the knowledge in our fantastic universities.

My third priority is tackling anti-social behaviour and giving young people things to do, especially in the evenings and at weekends.

Good services are available in some parts of the constituency, but we now need them in every local area.

Providing more affordable housing is a major challenge in Leicester West.

We also need to get to grips with improving care for older people. This will mean big changes in the way Leicester's Council and NHS handle issues like dementia and social care, so services are more joined-up and focus on prevention.

It'll be tough making these changes now Labour is in Opposition and public funding is tight, but I know there's a lot we can still achieve locally, if we work together.

In Westminster, I'll be challenging the Tory-LibDem Government if their policies threaten the economic recovery or increase unfairness. But Labour shouldn't oppose things for the sake of it, or imply tough decisions on public spending aren't required.

So if the Government abandons Leicester's "Building Schools for the Future" programme – which would give all secondary school pupils the best environment to learn in, and boost our local economy – we'll fight them tooth and nail.

But if their "pupil premium" gives more money for those in deprived areas – without cutting funding from other vital projects – we should support it.

I'm a runner, and my hunch is that Opposition will be a marathon, not a sprint.

I'm going to pace myself and focus on winning in the long run.

CONTACT LIZ: Phone 0116 251 6160 or e-mail: liz.kendall.mp@parliament.uk

Follow Liz on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/leicesterliz