This is the local Labour candidate who hopes to topple Milton Keynes MP Iain Stewart at the next general election

City councillor Emily Darlington current deputy leader of the MK Labour group, will stand in the Milton Keynes South seat at the next general election.

The council’s Cabinet member for Adults, Housing & Healthy Communities, Emily stood unsuccessfully as the Labour candidate in neighbouring Milton Keynes North in 2015.

She has represented Bletchley East ward on MK Council since 2018.

Emily was selected as candidate over Luton South CLP chair Bodrul Amin, Ealing councillor Miriam Rice and lawyer Nik Slingsby.

After her election, she tweeted: “Huge thank you to all the members of [Milton Keynes Labour Party] for the support.”

She added: "Time for a fresh start and an MP who stands up for MK.”

Milton Keynes South has been held by Tory MP Iain Stewart since its creation in 2010 following a review of the boundaries of the city’s two constituencies. Now a Minister for Scotland, his majority has fluctuated in subsequent elections – from 8,672 in 2015, down to 1,725 in 2017 and back up to 6,944 in 2019.

According to the Labour List website, the size of his most recent majority makes it “interesting” that Labour has selected the seat as one of the first 14 constituencies - suggesting that the seat is a target for the next election.

The candidate for the MK North seat, currently held by Tory Ben Everitt, has not yet been selected.

Meanwhile Mr Stewart, who grew up in Scotland, has hit the headlines over a geographical gaffe in a tweet from his Scotland Office that claimed Skye was part of the Western Isles.

The blunder was posted this week as Iain Stewart visited Skye, Harris and Lewis. Posted alongside a picture of Eilean Donan Castle in Dornie, it stated: “Minister @iainastewart arrived in Skye yesterday to begin a week long visit to the Western Isles, which will include Skye, Harris and Lewis.”

Users immediately pointed out that that the castle was not in Skye and Skye was in the Inner rather than Outer Hebrides.

Labour activist Duncan Hothersall said: “The Tories are the second biggest party in Scotland, surely they are capable of checking basic geography?”

The tweet was swiftly deleted.