Our MPs get up to all sorts of exploits to raise money for charities in their constituencies, ranging from the eccentric to the utterly crackers. We’ll leave you to judge for yourself where on that spectrum St Austell’s Stephen Gilbert is on. Jumping out of an aeroplane, voluntarily, is not for the faint-hearted.

Two weeks today, at Perranporth Airport, he’ll make a parachute jump to raise money for the Merlin MS Centre at Hewas Water, having been impressed by the support that they offer to local people on a recent visit. He said:

Following a recent visit to the centre in Hewas Water, I decided to do my bit and somehow agreed to jump out of a plane to raise money. Apologies to all those who think it’s about time a politician did this – there will be a parachute!

It’s quite a brave step for someone who is not that enamoured with heights, as he told Pink News:

I’ve always been scared of heights and even climbing a flight of stairs with a low banister can give me the heebie-jeebies – so jumping out of a plane is going to be terrifying.  I’m only taking this step because the issue of support for people with MS and other degenerative neurological conditions is so important and I want to back the great work that happens in the Merlin MS centre.  I’m going to face one of my darkest fears and I hope that the generosity of others will make this worthwhile.

He’s aiming to raise £2,500 for the centre, whose running costs are £300,000 per year. You can sponsor him here.