This Government’s difficulties keep piling up.  Since my last column, we’ve had a Government-induced petrol crisis and discovered the Prime Minister turned his publicly funded residence at Downing Street into a gilded stage, for Conservative Party fund-raising dinners.

Cutting the 50p rate for the rich, and making pensioners pay for it, has rightly become symbolic of the money-grubbing “Cam dine with me” Government, so out of touch with the country.

These revelations and debates fill the media, but Parliament was in Recess for Easter.  The Government was able to dodge Parliamentary scrutiny.

Recess gave the Government some breathing space, a chance to rest and re-group.  Time will tell how well they used it.

During Recess, I had several community meetings, caught up on correspondence, participated in a young people’s event to encourage action against knife crime, hosted a health-themed coffee morning and visited the West Ham ambulance station.

That visit was personal.  A few weeks ago, I had hurtled through East London with a relative, as he was blue-lighted to London chest hospital.  The ambulance staff were brilliant; capable, skilled and very reassuring.  I wanted to say thank you.

We talked about the pressure on the station; an 8% increase in 999 calls over last year:  another 8% the year before that.

Emergency calls are increasing, while Cameron cuts funding.  Over the next five years, 560 frontline staff will be lost.  He’s forcing the London ambulance service to find ‘savings’ of £53 million.

One reason this Government keeps losing support, is they say one thing and do another.  Remember the “we’re all in this together” gag? 

Time and again this Government promises not to cut essential frontline services, but cuts are being made that literally make the difference between life and death.

It’s another promise broken by this out-of-touch Government.

Write to Lyn Brown, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA, email brownl@parliament.uk, call 020 7219 6999.