Aylesbury’s new MP has spoken about David Bowie, World War Two and Roald Dahl in her maiden speech.

Laura Kyrke-Smith paid tribute to her constituency in an address to the House of Commons this week.

Her contribution comes after she was elected as Aylesbury’s first ever Labour MP and first female MP in the July 4 general election, ousting Conservative incumbent Rob Butler by just 630 votes.

She acknowledged her predecessor as she opened her maiden speech, noting his ‘affection’ for the constituency and the ‘loyalty’ and ‘good will’ with which he served it.

Kyrke-Smith spoke of the ‘lovely villages’ of Aylesbury such as Whitchurch, Wing, Cheddington and Edlesborough, while also noting the ‘diverse communities’ across her seat.

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The former policy analyst, speechwriter and humanitarian worker also took the Commons through some of Aylesbury’s history, including that it is home to Britain’s oldest road, the Ridgeway.

She then spoke about the ways Aylesbury’s history has continued to shape the area today, including its ‘vibrant culture’.

Kyrke-Smith said: “Roald Dahl made Buckinghamshire his home, and today we host the Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery at the Discover Bucks Museum.

“We are the birthplace of the Paralympic movement, host to the first competition for people with spinal injuries in Stoke Mandeville back in 1948.

“For decades Aylesbury was home to the iconic Friars night club, where acts like Queen and U2 performed.

“David Bowie’s first performance of Ziggy Stardust there is now marked by a bronze sculpture in the town that bursts into song, catching visitors by surprise.”

The new MP then paid homage to Aylesbury’s wartime legacy.

She said: “My constituency has a history of offering a friendly welcome, including to many evacuees from London in World War Two, and the exiled Czech Government, which operated out of the Old Manor House between Wingrave and Aston Abbotts.”

Kyrke-Smith also spoke about deprivation in Aylesbury, pointing out that one in eight children in the town live in poverty.

The MP used her speech to set out her four main priorities for Aylesbury, including ensuring that people have greater access to GP appointments and that action is taken to tackle the ‘mental health crisis’.

She paid tribute to her friend Sophie Middlemiss, who she said took her own life when her daughter was 10 weeks old.

“I don’t want anyone to suffer with postnatal anxiety and depression in the way that she did, and I will fight to get better help for people in her situation,” the MP explained.

Her other key priorities are ensuring that children with special educational needs and disabilities and their families get the support they need, supporting small businesses and farmers and being a ‘voice’ for vulnerable people caught up in conflicts, including those in Gaza.

The MP signed off her maiden speech with a line from once of Roald Dahl’s most well-known characters, Matilda.

She said: “Having power is not nearly as important as what you choose to do with it.”

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