GEOFFREY Clifton-Brown, Member of Parliament for the Cotswolds, has defended himself after coming under fire from readers of the Standard who criticised the MP’s commitment to his constituency.

The MP, who splits his time between London and the Cotswolds, received the flack following the Standard’s story which revealed the lucrative details of his second earnings as a partner in a Norfolk-based farming business.

Writing on the Standard’s website, one user said: “It is time we had a Cotswold rep in Westminster rather than a Westminster rep (or occasional visitor) in the Cotswolds.”

Users also questioned where Mr Clifton-Brown was during the recent spate of flooding that affected the Cotswolds at the beginning of the year.

“When was the last time our MP was seen in public? He cannot even be bothered to pose in the floods for the usual staged photo call,” one user suggested.

Mr Clifton-Brown dismissed the criticisms, claiming that his public flooding meetings, which have been running for four years, have not been promoted enough in the media.

“I have done a huge amount of work throughout the constituency in my public flooding meetings, although these meetings rarely receive the publicity they perhaps should do so that my constituents are fully informed of their successes,” he said.

He told the Standard that through his meetings major flood prevention works have been carried out in Moreton-in-Marsh, Fairford and South Cerney.

The MP, who has represented the Cotswolds for over 20 years, has recently raised the issue of flooding in the Cotswolds in Parliament.

Last month the Standard reported that Mr Clifton-Brown had earned more than £120,000 for working less than 80 days between August 2011 and November 2013.

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown will hold another round of flood meetings at various locations across the district on Friday, April 4.

For more information, visit www.cliftonbrown.co.uk.