Presenter sends MP with voice damage best wishes

An MP whose voice was damaged during an operation has received a message of support from BBC presenter Nick Robinson who went through a similar experience.

Anna Sabine, Liberal Democrat MP for Frome and East Somerset, said the nerve that controls one of her vocal cords was damaged during recent thyroid surgery.

In an interview with BBC Radio Somerset, Sabine said she was "very encouraged" by the fact Robinson experienced a similar situation but was able to present podcasts and the Today programme.

Robinson, whose vocal cords were damaged during surgery to remove a lung tumour, wished Sabine luck with her recovery and added: "It's rather emotional for me listening to that."

Sabine said discovering her voice had been damaged was "a huge shock and a massive upset".

The MP is undergoing speech and language therapy and is considering some other possible treatments.

"You're trying to train your other vocal cord to compensate so it's going to be slow going but I am up for the challenge," she added.

Robinson was helped by a speech and language therapist during his recovery.

"These people are saints. They coax you and they teach you to speak again and, in a way, the fact that I am now doing the job I am, as a radio presenter, is proof that it can work," he added.

Sabine hopes measures can be put in place to help her when she returns to Parliament.

"We'll hopefully come to some arrangement whereby I can either get microphoned up or someone can speak on my behalf.

"I am just going to have to get known as the whispering MP," she said.

Robinson suffered damage to one of his vocal cords during an operation to remove a tumour from his lung in 2015.

"I was more upset, more distressed by losing my voice than by having my cancer diagnosis.

"To think you would be in a room and just couldn't be heard at all, was pretty horrific, actually."

Robinson was helped by a speech and language therapist.

"These people are saints. They coax you and they teach you to speak again and, in a way, the fact that I am now doing the job I am, as a radio presenter, is proof that it can work."

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