MID-WORCESTERSHIRE's MP, Peter Luff, re-elected with a thumping majority last week, says his party needs to improve its presentation if it is to return to power.

"I think we are seen as out-of-touch, out-of-date an irrelevance," he said. "The fundamental thing for us is that we have got to be seen to be addressing the electorate in a way they can understand and can relate to."

Despite his concerns, he added: "The problems my party face are not as grave as some people suggest."

In the wake of William Hague's resignation as Conservative leader, Mr Luff said he had "a clear private view" as to who he would like as the party's next leader but because of his position as a party whip was unable to speak out yet.

He did say that the party needed a well-known figure to take over.

In Mid-Worcester he achieved more than 50% of the vote to increase his majority.

His 22,937 votes put him 10,627 clear of his nearest opponent, Labour's David Bannister, who polled 12,310. Liberal Democrat Robert Browne had 8,420 votes and Tony Eaves of the UK Independence Party 1,230.

Despite his vote, Mr Luff said he was still very worried about the low turnout.

He is now looking forward to a busy four years in the House of Commons and in the Vale too.

"The first battle is inevitably going to be the future of the magistrates' court," he said.

"I still think there is an extremely important argument for having a court in the Vale of Evesham."

He fears that cases could collapse if witnesses are unwilling or unable to travel to Worcester to attend court there if Evesham closes.

He will also continue to press for better funding for Worcestershire's schools, social services and police.

"I will fight for it very hard and we have to keep the pressure up on the Government this time around," he said.

Elsewhere the efforts to relieve the pressure of heavy lorries and the need to help agriculture and horticulture in the Vale are top of his list.

"The Government's pesticide tax could be a final straw for many of the growers because there aren't alternatives to some of the pesticides they use," he warned.