Sick MP plans return to Britain

Dr Gibson says he will now reduce his timetable

The Norwich North MP Dr Ian Gibson expects to return to Britain on Thursday after suffering a mild stroke while visiting the Middle East.

Speaking from his hospital bed in East Jerusalem, Dr Gibson, 65, said he was making a good recovery.

He was taken ill while on a fact-finding visit to the West Bank City of Ramallah.

Dr Gibson said his doctors felt his heavy schedule was partly to blame for his collapse.

MP vows to cutback workload

He said he had been working ten hours a day seven days a week for the past year, which may have contributed to the attack.

"The lesson for me is to be more selective and learn to say no more readily. My staff will be happy for that," he said, adding he often crammed in meetings with just half an hour between each one.

Last week Dr Gibson visited Liverpool and Manchester and took part in the hunting debate before flying out to the Middle East.

Dr Gibson, who was born in Dumfries, won his seat in Norwich North in 1997 and was re-elected in 2001.

Before entering Parliament he was Dean of School of Biological Sciences at University of East Anglia, Norwich.