One month on and you could argue the dust has begun to settle after the elections. The thank you parties are over and I along with other MPs have been sworn back into Parliament; the Queen’s speech has been delivered and newly elected members are now queuing up to give their maiden speeches in the time honoured fashion.

On the other hand you could argue that the election and its aftermath have been so significant that it represents a volcanic explosion in British politics and the ‘ash cloud’ is still hanging in the air and casting a dark cloud over the country. The cuts already announced by the ConDem coalition will hurt the weakest the most and the thought of the impending emergency budget on June 22 sends a shiver down my spine.

There is now a very real chance of a ‘double-dip’ recession as Labour repeatedly warned during the election because the cuts are being made too far and too soon.

Obviously I desperately hope this will not happen – I remember only too well the Tory recessions of the 80s and early 90s - but I am not filled with optimism when I see George Osborne making the economic calls in number 11 Downing Street. During the world financial crisis he got every major decision wrong.

Also the much trumpeted ‘stable’ government has within weeks of coming into power already had its first resignation from one of the most crucial positions in the economic team – David Laws as Chief Secretary to the Treasury. His replacement is clearly out of his depth and you do worry that the LibDems are going to run out of MPs soon if any more resignations occur.

Locally the ConDem cuts could have a huge impact and I am holding my breath that the axe will not fall on the ‘CrossRail’ project and the ‘Building Schools for the future’ investment in our local High Schools of over £300 million. CrossRail will bring significant investment and economic regeneration opportunities, creating jobs and improving Southall, Hanwell, West Ealing, Ealing Broadway and Acton Mainline Stations. Building Schools for the Future if it goes would mean the loss of brand new schools at Dormers Wells and Cardinal Wiseman and significant new build and refurbishment at Villiers, Elthorne Park, Featherstone and other local High Schools.

Amongst this “ash cloud” where are the signs of hope? Two Sundays ago I held a ‘Thank You’ party in Southall for all those Labour Party members and supporters who helped in the election campaign. It was a very successful event with over 600 people listening to a powerful speech from David Miliband who I am backing to be leader of the Labour Party and the next Prime Minister.

Since the election more than 15,000 people have joined the Labour Party many of them disgruntled former LibDems. Locally we now have a Labour Council and across London Labour Councils are again in the majority. We have a strong base from which to rebuild and under David Miliband’s leadership Labour will return to government – and it maybe sooner than you think.