Milton Keynes Central MP reflects on Labour’s first year back in power
Emily Darlington MP also highlighted successes within her city, and future plans
A year on from Labour’s return to government, Milton Keynes MP Emily Darlington has shared her reflections on both national progress and local achievements.
Ms Darlington described the past 12 months as both transformative and challenging.
She said: "I think the feeling for me is what a fast year—so much stuff has changed for myself personally and then we’ve been able to do so much in Parliament, but it still doesn’t feel like enough."
Ms Darlington has been vocal about ensuring that Milton Keynes benefits directly from government initiatives.
Recently, it led to the confirmation of the funding for the Women and Children’s Hospital expansion.
"That’s actual real money committed. I’ve seen the draft plans. I can’t wait for the shovels to be in the ground," she said, describing it as one of several “big wins” for the area.
Additional successes include securing investment in East West Rail and attracting international business to the region.
More recently, Universal Studios has committed to building their first Europe-based theme park in nearby town Bedford, which she attributed partly to to successful lobbying and support from the government.
Despite these gains, Ms Darlington remains aware of ongoing public concern, especially around issues like healthcare and cost of living.
"We set out to do 2 million extra NHS appointments this year, we’ve reached 4 million, but it still doesn’t feel like enough," she admitted.
More recent backlash revolving around the controversial Welfare Reform Bill is also being felt in every constituency, including hers.
She further acknowledged growing criticism of the government’s pace on delivering change and said: "It’s still really frustrating for people and there’s still a lot more to do."
Looking ahead, she outlined three personal policy priorities: healthcare access, rough sleeping, and the safety of women and girls.
The MP is also planning to expand her work on online safety, particularly in relation to social media companies and their accountability.
Along with tackling violence against women and girls, online safety is both a personal goal and constituency-wide priority and beyond, affecting countless voters.
With collaboration across the city’s Labour representatives and council, Ms Darlington remains focused on ensuring Milton Keynes continues to be seen as a priority for national investment and development.