COLUMN: One year on, Labour is delivering our Plan for Change in Luton South and South Bedfordshire

The 5th of July marks one year since the country voted overwhelmingly for change and elected a Labour Government for the first time in fourteen years.

I am deeply grateful to the people of Luton South and South Bedfordshire for re-electing me as your MP. It’s an honour to represent my hometown in the county where I grew up and have lived all my life.

With the constituency now exponentially larger, I’ve had the pleasure of connecting a wide range of people during my visits to schools, businesses, and community events across South Bedfordshire.

Democracy is the cornerstone of our society, and this Labour government was elected to deliver on our promises: fixing the economy, building social and affordable homes, restoring public services, improving community safety, and breaking down barriers to opportunity for all.

I am proud of the progress we have made so far. Since July 2024, we have delivered 4.2 million NHS appointments – double the target we set in our manifesto commitment. Waiting lists are falling consistently, and £102 million funding for GP surgery upgrades will create additional space to see more patients, boost productivity and improve patient care.

We have committed to building 1.5 million homes across this Parliament. To tackle the housing crisis, we’re investing a record £39 billion in building social and affordable housing – the biggest cash boost in fifty years. This will deliver 300,000 homes over the next decade, with 180,000 of these built for social rent, and ensure families stuck on council waiting lists and children in temporary accommodation have access to safe, secure and affordable homes.

Alongside the rollout of free breakfast clubs in schools, from September 2026, all children in households in receipt of Universal Credit in our area will be eligible for free school meals. This will support families, lifting 100,000 children across England completely out of poverty and improving education outcomes.

Making communities safe is a vital part of our Labour government’s mission. Our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will ensure a named officer and regular neighbourhood patrols in every community, and our flagship Crime and Policing Bill will introduce tougher measures on knife crime and anti-social behaviour, introducing Respect Orders to ban frequent offenders from town centres, giving police new powers to seize off road bikes and lifting the effective immunity for shoplifting goods under the value of £200.

We are renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve, providing our Armed Forces with the biggest pay rise in 20 years and implementing an Independent Armed Forces Commissioner to support serving personnel and their families with general welfare issues.

There’s more to do, but we are committed to delivering the change people voted for and investing in Britain’s renewal.

I am always keen to hear about the issues that matter to my constituents in Luton South and South Bedfordshire. If you’d like to get in touch with me to share your views, please email me at [email protected]