This is my monthly column that originally appeared in Luton News on 28th June 2023.

An otherwise calm Friday afternoon in my Luton office was disrupted by the breaking news of Nadine Dorries’ resignation. From the conversations I’ve had in recent weeks and months, people in Luton and across Bedfordshire are fed up with 13 years of Tory incompetence that has culminated in this latest series of scandals and resignations. Something must change.

With three other MPs resigning, one being our disgraced former Prime Minister who lied to Queen and Country, it seems only sensible to call time on this tired Government – and unelected Prime Minister – and fight a general election. This is a chance for people to secure proper and long overdue change in places like Mid Beds.

The last few years have been dire for public trust in politics: woeful economic mismanagement, three successive Prime Ministers in as many years, and the near constant charade of Conservative Party infighting dominating our news feeds. Instead of having to spend hours of Parliamentary time condemning a serial liar, I would rather discuss how to solve the issues my constituents are bringing to surgeries and my inbox every day – such as crime, housing and the cost of living. 

Crime in particular is something raised with me by residents old and young. An under-resourced Police force in Bedfordshire have left people feeling less safe and waiting longer for 999 calls to be answered, after years of under-funding and 13 years of the same tired government.

These are the serious issues facing people everyday, yet MPs like Dorries wrongly treat their elected position and constituents as a part-time gig. Being an MP is a privilege, not a right, and it is often more than a full-time job when done well. Our voters and constituents deserve representation from an MP who will work for them and restore the respect that the office deserves. I continue to hold myself to these values as I work every day for people in Luton North.

It’s time for a new generation of MPs and a change in Government who can get the job done, restoring the standards that public service requires, delivering policies that work for people in Luton, and securing proper representation for people from Mid-Bedfordshire and beyond. And as long as I have the privilege of being your MP, you can reach me or book an appointment to see me by emailing sarah.owen.mp@parliament.uk.