Labour's first 100 days in power - MPs reflect

It's been 100 days since the Labour party's landslide victory, which saw Sir Keir Starmer take the helm as prime minister.

Starmer, the first Labour PM since 2010, said the job had been "much tougher than anything I've done before, but much better."

Election night dramatically reshaped the political landscape in Shropshire - two Labour MPs took constituencies from the Conservatives.

BBC Radio Shropshire spoke to four of the county's MPs about their experiences so far.

Julia Buckley, who led the Labour group on Shropshire Council until she was elected to Parliament in July as MP for Shrewsbury, said it had been a dream come true but hard work.

She was one of 335 MPs elected to Parliament for the first time.

"It turns out the reward for hard work is more hard work," she said.

"It's been really rewarding and we're making an impact but it hasn't been easy."

Buckley said she loved being in London but her favourite part of the job was meeting residents.

"The best bit is walking in the street and people ask me questions or hearing people's life stories in my fortnightly surgeries."

"I've at times been left crying after hearing what people have been through."

The MP, also a councillor for Bridgnorth, was one of 52 MPs who did not take part in a vote to remove winter fuel payments for pensioners not receiving pension credit or other means-tested benefits.

"I was given permission to abstain because I had whooping cough. But at the same time, I had entered into discussions with the whips, explaining people's concerns."

South Shropshire's new Conservative MP already has political clout.

Stuart Anderson, who took the reins from long-serving Ludlow MP Philip Dunne, was a government whip under three Tory prime ministers while MP for Wolverhampton South West.

He is critical of the first 100 days of the new Labour government.

"There's a lot of buyers' remorse", he said.

"On the same day they announced record-breaking public sector pay rises, they cut winter fuel payments... it's cruel and nasty."

Anderson rejected a claim that trust is being restored in politics after the in-fighting and chaos, which tarnished the last Conservative government in which he served.

He described the thousands of pounds of donations and gifts, including clothing, hospitality tickets and glasses, given to Sir Kier Starmer and other cabinet ministers as "cronyism".

"Do you need £32,000 worth of suits? No you don't,' he said.

"I buy my own glasses. I got some for £1.50 from Home Bargains."

Telford's new Labour MP has the benefit of not having to get to know his patch.

Shaun Davies was the leader of Telford and Wrekin Council before being elected to Parliament in the summer.

He has quickly taken the opportunity to be heard having spoken 20 times during debates in the House of Commons. He has also submitted more than 70 written questions.

"It's been a very difficult 14 years for this country under Conservative governments but we've started as we mean to go on, which is about stability and passion for change," he said.

Davies defended his decision to accept two hospitality tickets, worth almost £900, to the FA Community Shield Final in August.

"That particular event was about learning from the FA and two Manchester clubs about the forthcoming Football Regulation Bill, which is coming through," he said.

The Manchester United supporter said he declared it and it was within the rules, but supported Sir Kier's commitment to tighten the rules around ministerial hospitality and gifts.

North Shropshire's Liberal Democrat MP has continued her campaign to improve health services since being re-elected.

Helen Morgan took the seat from the Conservatives in a by-election in 2021, after a parliament investigation found MP Owen Paterson had broken lobbying rules by approaching ministers on behalf of companies paying him a salary.

"Locally, the biggest issues are, and always have been, NHS services," she said.

"I want to see this government using their budget to put the NHS first, to invest in retaining and recruiting more GPs, reforming dental contracts and focusing on social care so we get better flow through hospital."

Morgan has also been critical of the government's decision to cut winter fuel payments for most pensioners.

"If we're going to means test it and take it away from the most wealthy then fair enough, but where the government has set the threshold is too low for my liking," she said.

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