Callum Anderson MP column: The best (and right) start
I’m often asked what Labour is doing to make life easier for working families.
It is a very fair question, especially after many years in which people have felt that the cost of living has outpaced support. People want to know that change is coming, and their concerns are being heard. I want to reassure residents that we are listening. A substantial programme of work is already underway, focused on easing pressures and giving families the stability they need to thrive.
Nationally, we are taking practical steps that will make a tangible difference. Expanding free school breakfasts will help ensure children start the day ready to learn while saving families money, and capping the cost of school uniforms addresses a long-standing pressure that many parents face each year. Plus, from next month, new “day one” rights for parental leave will come into force, meaning every new parent will be entitled to take time off work from the very beginning of their employment. This is a significant shift and reflects the simple truth that family life does not wait.
But alongside these immediate changes, we are also learning from what has worked in the past - and how to build on it.
Many local people will remember Sure Start, one of the most successful policies introduced by the last Labour government. It improved the health, development and life chances of young children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The evidence is clear: children who attended saw lasting educational benefits and fewer hospital admissions later in life.
Yet despite its success, much of that progress was undone after 2010. Over 1,000 Sure Start centres closed as part of austerity measures introduced by successive Conservative governments. That loss went far beyond buildings; it weakened a vital network of early support that families relied on at crucial moments.
That is why Labour is committed not just to restoring what was lost, but to building something stronger. Best Start Family Hubs are a key part of that plan.
So, what are Best Start Family Hubs? They will provide a genuine one-stop shop for support. Parents will be able to access help with breastfeeding, housing issues and children’s early development and language skills, all in one place. Just as importantly, they will be connected quickly to specialist services when needed. The focus is on early intervention, offering help before problems escalate, because that approach is both kinder and saves taxpayers money in the long run.
Here in Milton Keynes, we have already seen the difference this kind of support can make. The City Council has worked hard to keep ten original Sure Start Family Centres open, even in the face of significant funding cuts. These centres continue to provide vital support - from pregnancy through to age 19 - including health services, advice, education, play sessions and connections to local charities. For many families, they have been a lifeline.
For me, this is also personal. I grew up under the last Labour government and saw first-hand what happens when working families (especially those without much financial security) are properly supported. It shaped my belief that government can and should play a positive role in creating opportunity and security.
That belief drives my work locally. On the Buckinghamshire side, I have been working with Laura Kyrke-Smith and Emma Reynolds to press Buckinghamshire Council on how funding for these new hubs will be allocated.
And there is already real momentum here in Bletchley. Regeneration projects such as the Lakes Estate Renewal are helping to transform the area and create new opportunities. But true regeneration is about more than buildings. We need to invest in the conditions that allow people and families to thrive.
That’s why I am continuing to push for increased national funding, so Milton Keynes City Council can build on the work it has sustained through years of cuts, and Buckinghamshire’s residents can get a Best Start Family Hub too.
Because in the end, strong communities are built on thriving families. And investing in early years support today is one of the most effective ways to secure a better future for decades to come.