As a proud son of Milton Keynes, I say bring on the new towns – roundabouts and all

‘While thousands of new houses were built, they were done so alongside protected green spaces, which still make up 40% of Milton Keynes’s footprint.’ Photograph: Chunyip Wong/Getty Images/iStockphoto

On the long train journey back to London from the Labour party conference, crowds of delegates, politicos and journalists will have stopped briefly at Milton Keynes Central. Some may have given a passing thought to this city, given that it could be the blueprint for the next generation of “new towns” that Keir Starmer hopes to build.

For me however, Milton Keynes is more than a fleeting thought – it is the place where I was born and grew up. Next year I hope to represent the constituents of Milton Keynes North as a Labour MP.