Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In August, parliament was in recess for the summer. However, MPs were recalled to the House of Commons due to the escalating situation in Afghanistan.

However, none of our district MPs contributed to the debate on August 18.

We asked our three Conservative MPs, Harrogate & Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon’s Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty’s Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular that they have been doing this month, but we did not receive a response from any of them.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:

• Mr Jones posted twice on his MP's website in August. One post saw Mr Jones call for people to help to reduce their carbon footprint after the publication of the Independent Panel on Climate Change report.


• On August 14, Mr Jones updated his website to back a local bus service bid by North Yorkshire County Council of up to £20 million.


• Mr Jones was branded a “hypocrite” over a post he made on his Community News website about food banks. He did not respond to requests for comment by the Stray Ferret.


• Mr Jones’ Twitter account is for ‘retweets only’.

In Skipton and Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

• Mr Smith updated his website once in August. The post reflected on what he did in his constituency in July.


• He tweeted six times in August. Among his social media posts were to congratulate Damian Hinds MP for being appointed security minister.


• Mr Smith posted six times on his Facebook page. He encouraged 16 and 17 year olds to get their covid vaccine after becoming eligible.

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• MPs watch: Football, Yorkshire Show and covid vaccines

In rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Adams:

• A regular Twitter user, Mr Adams tweeted 12 times in August.


• Among his tweets were support for the Paralympic Games and congratulating Indonesia on its independence day.


• On August 23, Mr Adams visited an Afghanistan Crisis Centre set up by the Foreign Office. He said it was a “great to see all the fantastic work” the centre had done.


• He tweeted on August 25 that he and the Foreign Office would continue to resolve the crisis in Myanmar and paid tribute to the Rohingya muslims who have lost their lives.


• Mr Adams updated his website once in August. This was to publicise the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s consultation on priorities for fire and policing over the next four years.


• According to MPs register of interests as of August 23, Mr Adams had received £6,000 worth of free hospitality tickets to England's Euro 2020 games.