Milton Keynes Central

[stb12]

Milton Keynes Central

[ricmk]

Welcome to the newest city in England - almanac profile at vote-2012.proboards.com/thread/17775/milton-keynes-central

This is really "Milton Keynes West and East" as it's the central third of the city running from west to east. It takes territory from both the current MK North and MK South seats so notionally a safe Con seat. But right now I'd put my mortgage on a Labour gain here. The incumbent Tory MPs have wisely given this seat a wide berth. The Tories didn't win a single ward here last year - even their banker in the rural South East (Woburn Sands, Brickhills, Wavendon etc) went to Labour. Signs of life for the blue team in the recent Loughton and Shenley by-election, and their parliamentary candidate is working with prodigious energy and enthusiasm, but this looks a hopeless mission - an urban seat that is full of people who are moving away from the Cons at pace. Plenty of Lib Dem councillors here, but I'd expect the anti-Tory vote to shift to Labour tactically in numbers in the Lib Dem wards. If the polls stay as they are without swingback, it'll be a 5 figure majority.

Johnny Luk (ex Spad, serious rower) 'defends' for the Conservatives.
Cllr Emily Darlington (Lab, Bletchley East [[not in the constituency but she does live in the constituency]] and Cabinet member for Housing) challenges for Labour.
Cllr James Cox (LD, Kennington and Radley, Vale of White Horse [[very much not in the constituency]]) will be the Lib Dem candidate.
Ray Brady was selected for Reform UK but stood down over comments on immigrants - I'd expect him to stand as an independent or for an even further fringe party.

[mrsir]

The Asian Conservative Party candidate is very nimby. In Milton Keynes of all places.

Really glad he will lose very badly indeed. 5 figure majority for Labour.

[ricmk]

SOPN at www.milton-keynes.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-06/SoPN%20-%20Milton%20Keynes%20Central.pdf

BONNEY, Frances - Green
COX, James - Lib Dem
DARLINGTON, Emily - Labour
LUK, Johnny - Conservative
REILLY, David - Reform UK
SAINT-CLAIR, Alfred - Heritage

Alfred SC regularly gets a tiny vote in our local elections so no reason to think he'll do better here.

[ricmk]

The Tory campaign here is so successful it's been featured in the Sun.

www.thesun.co.uk/news/28454543/tory-rising-star-sparks-housing-fury/

We got a letter through the door which was all 'vote Tory to stop expansion of MK.' Literally the only issue featured. There must be a target market for it but it's sure not us, and it's an obvious clash with the national Tory campaign.

[right]

Heritage Party leaflet

electionleaflets.org/leaflets/19933/

Reform boilerplate

electionleaflets.org/leaflets/19934/