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36 Phonebox Magazine | January 2026As a new year begins, I wanted to take a moment to refl ect on 2025, the challenges we faced together, the moments that made me proud of what we achieved, and the hopes I have for the year ahead. More than anything, I am grateful to everyone who has taken the time to share their concerns, ideas and experiences with me. Over the last year my team and I handled more than 10,000 emails. Behind every one was someone looking for help or raising an issue close to their heart. Whether it was supporting individual cases, responding to policy questions or hearing personal stories I could bring to Parliament, I have valued every exchange. In 2025 I attended almost 200 events and meetings across Milton Keynes, including nearly 30 constituency surgeries and public meetings. Looking back, two in particular have stayed with me. One focused on Special Educational Needs in our schools, where parents spoke with honesty and emotion about the struggles their children face. I know how painful it is to feel your child isn%u2019t getting the support they deserve. I%u2019ve raised these concerns directly with the Education Secretary, and we expect reforms early this year alongside the extra funding already committed.The other meeting brought together residents on new estates who are facing real problems with poorly run management companies. I%u2019ve challenged this, including taking concerns to FirstPort%u2019s CEO in Parliament. From charges for broken gates to repairs that never happen, the issues are worrying, and the Government will strengthen standards this year to ensure these companies are held to account.I have kept my focus on making sure Milton Keynes is heard and gets the investment we need. On the whiteboard in my offi ce, I have a list of the projects I believe are essential for our growing city, and every day I keep working so we can cross more of them off .This includes a new Women%u2019s and Children%u2019s Hospital, a mass rapid transit system, and a new university to widen access to higher technical education. We%u2019ve made real progress: hospital funding was reaffi rmed in the Budget and enabling work is well underway, including the installation of a major new power cable. We also secured Government backing for a tram-like system through the New Towns programme, and I%u2019ll be working with the council over the coming year to develop the business case.Alongside this, I%u2019ve supported important legislation in Parliament, including the Renters%u2019 Rights Act, which is now law. It strengthens protections for tenants by ending Section 21 no fault evictions, limiting extreme rent rises and giving renters the right to keep a pet. With so many renters in Milton Keynes, these changes will help thousands of households feel more secure.Chris CurtisMP for Milton Keynes NorthAs always, please follow my Facebook page (@ChrisCurtisLabour) for frequent news and updates from both Westminster and our constituency. If you ever need my assistance, or would like to attend one of my constituency surgeries, please don%u2019t hesitate to get in touch with my offi ce via chris.curtis.mp@parliament.ukOne of the most sensitive votes I took part in last year was on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. After listening to the powerful testimony and weighing the evidence, I voted in favour because I believe terminally ill people should have a safe and dignifi ed option. I%u2019m equally committed to improving access to the very best palliative and end-of-life care. These priorities must sit together.Over the last year, I have continued pressing the Government and our Integrated Care Board to secure stronger support for Willen Hospice, somewhere that holds a special place in my heart- I ran the London Marathon for them and was proud to raise more than %u00a35,000. I also wrote to the Secretary of State to push for long-term, sustainable funding for hospices. The additional %u00a3100 million provided nationally this year was welcome, but services like Willen need certainty for the future. During Hospice Week, I was honoured to welcome Willen Hospice to Parliament as, standing together to call for real reform on funding. I will keep campaigning for the support they need.I hope you and your families had a wonderful Christmas and found a bit of time to rest and recharge. It was lovely to see so many people at festive events across the constituency, and if I am honest, the number of mince pies I managed to get through probably means need to take the new year diet pretty seriously. T h a n k y o u t o everyone who has reached out, shared their experiences and worked alongside me over the past year. As we move into the year ahead, my focus is simple, working closely with all our communities, listening to the concerns people share with me and championing the things that make Milton Keynes and our surrounding towns and villages so special.