Last Thursday (25 January), Chris Curtis and Emily Darlington, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidates for Milton Keynes North and Milton Keynes Central respectively, welcomed Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, to the city to meet key business, community and industry leaders for roundtable discussion on how Labour’s five missions for government will improve lives across Milton Keynes.

Marking the Labour Leader’s second Missions Tour, the candidates helped bring together key leaders from across Milton Keynes. At the roundtable with Starmer, Chris and Emily outlined their priorities for the city, from reducing knife crime, to tackling the Cost of Living Crisis. They told the Labour Leader why Milton Keynes is now ready for a Labour government.

Speaking after the roundtable, Chris Curtis said:

“It was a pleasure to welcome Keir Starmer to Milton Keynes as he embarks on his second Mission Tour of the country. I was able to highlight the rise in knife crime in the city where I grew up as we have seen community policing devastated by a Conservative Government and a Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner. People are telling me that it is time for change and they will be voting Labour.”

Emily Darlington said:

“As a local mum and councillor, I see the destruction of our public services. I know how hard it is to get a GP appointment or dentist appointment. The council, schools and the hospital are doing everything they can but only a Labour Government will end the 14 years of decline under the Conservatives, and start to rebuild essential services. People are ready for change and they want a General Election as soon as possible.”

Addressing the attendees, Starmer reiterated Labour’s plans to deliver growth and prosperity across the area and outlined how Labour’s five missions will benefit Milton Keynes:

• Higher growth and a reformed planning system no longer blocking homes, infrastructure and investment.
• Safer streets, with more police and a crack-down on anti-social behaviour.
• Cheaper bills, with GB Energy, a new public company, using clean British power not foreign oil and gas.
• Breaking down barriers to opportunities for every child with free breakfast clubs for every child.
• Our NHS back on its feet, with a plan for two million more appointments every year, paid for by removing the non-dom tax status.

The meeting marks Keir Starmer’s second Missions Tour, where he dives deep into each of his five missions for government in a different part of the country. Visiting a different region of the UK every 2-3 weeks, the Labour leader will outline how his five missions for government will benefit voters. On each Tour, he will meet working people as well as businesses, community and industry leaders, as he urges voters to call time on the managed decline under the Conservatives, instead choosing a decade of national renewal with Labour.

Earlier this month, Starmer launched his Missions Tour programme in the North West, visiting Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool where he unveiled his Party’s Child Health Action Plan and pledged the healthiest generation of children ever, vowing to end the scandal of plummeting child health outcomes.

Speaking after the breakfast, Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, said:

“Being here in Milton Keynes to meet key business and community leaders, it’s clear the city needs MPs like Chris and Emily. Emily is already working hard for residents on social care, housing and leading the White Ribbon City campaign to end violence and abuse towards women and girls. Chris has come back to MK to make sure everyone has the opportunities he had growing up to thrive and succeed. I’m grateful to them for bringing together some of the key leaders in the community for me to meet and to hear first-hand why Milton Keynes needs a change.

“2024 is a momentous year for the country. The power of the vote is in the hands of the British people, and we will fight every day to earn it. And as the election comes closer, I’m proud to say that we have the strongest generation of candidates our Party has seen.  We’ve built a changed Labour Party ready to serve working people in Milton Keynes and across the United kingdom.

“In the coming weeks, I’ll be travelling across the country to outline Labour’s plan for a decade of national renewal, working together with local communities