Mike Reader Column: Diary of an MP - Back home in Northampton – People, pride and progress

This incredible space will provide comfort, advice, and a sense of community for people living with cancer and their families. It’s a reminder that behind every big NHS headline are real people, our neighbours, friends, and families working hard every day.

The health theme continued when I went on a recent visit with Reds10 and the Construction Industry Council to see the patient room prototype to be used in the New Hospital Programme. Over 5,000 of these rooms will be delivered across the country. It’s inspiring to see how innovation can improve patient care, but it’s local access and fair funding for services that really make the difference. That’s why I was so pleased to have the new Urgent Treatment Centre for Northampton General Hospital announced by government.

On the home front, housing remains one of the biggest issues residents raise with me. I recently met with Trinity Estates to discuss the challenges leaseholders face in rising service charges and poor communication at Landimore Park. Everyone deserves a safe, affordable home, and I’m determined to see leasehold reform deliver real fairness for people here, especially in the estates run by Trinity, FreePort, RMG and others.

Important to note is our recent Northamptonshire Day celebrations! West Northamptonshire Council and Northampton Town Council put on some brilliant events, but Westminster pulled its weight too. The Northamptonshire Day event that I hosted in parliament was a roaring success, and a brilliant showcase of what makes our county special. We’ve got so much to be proud of in terms of our history, our businesses, our food and drink, and above all our sense of community. I was thrilled to host over 100 people to celebrate our county with local businesses, charities and MP’s from across the country joining me in doing so. It was also great to talk about all this on BBC Radio Northampton on the day, and to join local media for a pint of Phipps in Parliaments iconic strangers bar, where Northampton’s finest is now on tap!

The enthusiasm from local businesses that attended Northamptonshire Day in Parliament was palpable. But it’s also been encouraging to see local employers thriving here at home. My recent visits to the Sainsbury’s on Weedon Road and my fascinating tour of HellermannTyton, showed me first-hand how businesses in Northampton are providing jobs, career opportunities and contributing to our national success story in manufacturing and technology. I also met representatives from FareShare to talk about food redistribution. With the cost of living still hitting families hard as the government works to repair the damage done over the past 14 years, their work tackling waste and helping those in need couldn’t be more important.

Finally, it was a real privilege to attend the Royal Navy Graduation Dinner for the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. Our service men and women embody values of dedication and public service, the same values that so many here in Northampton show every day. It’s important that we keep those values in mind as we approach remembrance day celebrations in a few weeks’ time.

— Mike Reader, MP for Northampton South