Mid Bedfordshire had been let down by politicians for too many years, and that’s why in 2024 I decided to put my name forward to represent the place I live in Parliament.
And in July 2024, after a long and gruelling election campaign, I was honoured that you elected me as our local Member of Parliament.
I pledged to be an open, accessible MP who would listen to local people on local issues and represent those issues in Parliament.
Fast-forward two years to July 2026, and I hope we are beginning to repair the broken trust between people and politicians in Mid Beds.
It’s been a pleasure to work alongside residents and community groups on so many important local issues.
I’ve been fighting to ensure everybody in Mid Beds has access to a GP when they need one.
Residents in Wixams have been waiting more than a decade for their promised GP surgery, and I’ve been banging on at the Government and the ICB about this.
Read: Plans submitted for long-awaited Wixams GP surgery
And we’re finally seeing progress. Funding has been secured, and plans are in place, with hopes for an opening in 2029. That is down to a huge effort from everybody involved, from councillors to residents.
Another vital campaign we’ve been working on is pushing for step-free access at both Flitwick and Harlington stations.
Determination
I know the campaign for Flitwick has been going on since long before I was an MP, and I was determined to support it in any way I could.
More than 1,500 of you signed my petition to the Government, and Network Rail have told me that the appropriate funding has now been allocated and step-free access should be in place by the end of 2027.
A petition is now in place for Harlington as I remain baffled by the decision to replace the footbridge at the station, but not install step-free access at the same time.
These are just two examples of campaigns I’ve been really proud to work on with local communities, but there’s been so much more.
My team and I have supported constituents in more than 12,000 cases since I was elected, and have sent more than 36,000 emails. Each of these is an issue that matters to somebody.
We’ve worked with local people on flooding, road safety, water and sewage infrastructure, environmental protection, SEND, East-West Rail, and so much more.
And of course I have to mention the game-changer that is Universal Studios UK.
Read: The eyes of the world are now on Bedford as Universal United Kingdom Resort moves forward
This is going to be a huge boost for local jobs, local skills and our local economy, but it is vital the Government gets the infrastructure right to ensure our local communities face as little disruption as possible.
We’re just two years into this Parliament, and there is so much to do for Mid Beds, but I can promise you I will not stop working hard and standing up for our communities in Parliament.
This is a monthly guest column provided by
Blake Stephenson, Conservative MP for Mid Bedfordshire.
It is published unedited and does not
reflect the views of the Bedford Independent.
