The general election is just days away

Are you ready to vote this Thursday? 

The General Election takes place on Thursday, May 7th.  

Many of our readers may have already made up their minds, but for those of you who don’t know who to vote for we contacted the candidates for the Milton Keynes North constituency. All seven of them got back to us, and we asked them to say what they would do for the area if they were voted in. We have their answers here (alphabetical by surname). For more information about the elections, contact Milton Keynes Council on (01908) 254706 or email elections@milton-keynes.gov.uk. 

Emily Darlington, Labour
My number one priority is the NHS. I have been campaigning for more GPs, integration of social, health and mental health services and an expanded hospital. I love Milton Keynes and North Bucks with its traditional villages and modern estates, but it has become a ‘tale of two cities’. On the one hand, we are growing faster than London, with more homes, jobs and businesses every year. On the other, more and more people are being forced to work as self-employed or on exploitative zero-hour contracts. I want to be a local champion. I will listen to local people and get things done. I am Labour because I won’t walk by on the other side.







Paul Graham, Liberal Democrat
Official figures show that Milton Keynes has been top in the UK for job growth over the past decade, is second for business start-ups and in the top 10 for the number of patents. The challenge is to build on and manage that success, but with increased economic growth comes pressure on transport and public services. If elected, my priority will be to ensure Milton Keynes gets the best deal possible in terms of infrastructural investment. I am also strongly committed to keeping the UK in the European Union. Britain has gained greatly from membership through the EU’s power as a trading bloc. We need to stay in.






Mark Lancaster, Conservative
It has been an honour and a privilege to have been your MP for the past 10 years and living in Olney I understand our community’s concerns. Having met many of you during my regular mobile surgeries in the villages, I have listened and ensured that I have been a strong voice in Westminster for my constituents and delivered for our community. Looking forward, I want to build on our recent major investment in our hospital and GP services to ensure we have a local health service future-proofed for our growing population, continue the roll out of rural broadband and ensure that North Bucks continues to flourish.

Jennifer Marklew, Green Party
I love Milton Keynes, but I’ve also seen it change from a vibrant, progressive place to one that is focused on corporate interests and big housing developments. By contrast, I’ve also seen the gap in inequality increase; 1 in 4 children in our city live in poverty, a third of jobs are classed as low wage and we’re cutting funding to services for those that need it most. I want to deliver change by being bold; increasing funding to local government, encourage social enterprises and community energy projects and nurture local businesses. I have been told the Green Party is living in a fantasy land. I have high expectations, but I am not a fantasist.







David Mortimer, Independent
I believe poverty is going to become the biggest issue in the UK this year. So far, only 30 per cent of cuts, which are apparently required to balance the budget deficit, have been introduced. The rest will be after the election. These cuts will have a catastrophic effect on the living standards of 60% of UK residents who work and claim benefits. I believe the UK should allow the public to sack MPs, protect and promote marriage and families through the tax and benefit system, stop foreign aid until UK national debt is clear and secure its borders, as well as remove those who are legally not supposed to be here.








David Reilly, UK Independence Party
Being a member of a non-whipping party, I am at liberty to represent the interests of Milton Keynes without fear of reprisal, even if it was to contradict the parties’ conventional wisdom; however UKIP’s platform gives the public awareness of my core beliefs. Having lived, worked and played in Milton Keynes my entire life parallel to engaging in politics, I have swiftly learnt that we have two ears and one mouth, so to listen twice and speak once whilst never compromising reason, fact and logic for ideology or populism. Fundamentally, I would like to see a ‘quality rather than quantity’ approach to the development of Milton Keynes.

Katie Simpson, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
The main reason I’m standing is to get the name Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition out there, to say there is an alternative to the mainstream parties and austerity. If I were elected my main goal would be to give my constituents genuine representation in politics. I would actively campaign against cuts, closures, privatization and job losses across Milton Keynes and put pressure on central government to raise the minimum wage to £10 an hour before the next general election. Admittedly, I will continue to campaign on these issues regardless. The big businesses and bankers, the 1 per cent, caused this crisis, but TUSC represents the 99 per cent.

Big old quiz of 2014

Did you manage to see the Big Fat Quiz of the year this year? It's always a fun way to see how much you can remember from the previous year, and be reminded of some of the most random and most popular news stories.

We've put together a short quiz for you, using a few of the top news stories from last year. Scroll all the way down to see the answers and find out how well you can remember the news of 2014, both local and national.

1. Luis Suárez bit a footballer during one of the World Cup matches, what team were they playing at the time?
2. Which Milton Keynes store last year had over £1 million worth of goods stolen from them in the early hours of the morning?
3. Where was the huge warehouse fire which took place in Buckinghamshire in January last year?
4. UKIP councillor David Silvester declared last year that he believed what had been caused by gay marriage?
5. What was the name of the robotic spacecraft which landed onto a comet, for the first time in history?
6. MK Dons thrashed which football team to which score in August last year?
7. Which animated film in March last year won two Academy Awards and became one of the few films to take more than $1 billion at the box office? (hint: there's a snowman involved)
8. Which ex-MK Dons player featured in this year's 'I'm a Celebrity Get me Out Of Here'?
9. Which famous former boy band member posted a video of his wife's labour, featuring him singing and dancing?
10. What was it that put Milton Keynes into the Guinness World Records last year?  

Take that, Take That....

For the band which has been through more changes than Katy Perry's hair colour, Take That are heading through yet another change in structure, with the announcement that Jason Orange is leaving the band. For many, keeping up with the comings and goings of the band has become all too much and Take That remain a memory in the past, yet for others, this will come as devastating news.

Having jumped into the charts in the early 1990s, Take That have been one of the most successful British bands ever, with 11 singles reaching number 1 in the charts. 1995 saw Robbie Williams leave the group, bringing the number down to four, and then in 1996 Take That announced they were splitting up. 2005 saw them back on the scene, however, when they released a greatest hits album, followed by an ITV documentary and then a comeback album, Beautiful world. This return to the spotlight left many fans wondering if they were going to be true to their lyrics and be Back for Good this time. Following the success of this album, they'd have been silly not to make the most of being back in the limelight, and in 2011 their Progress Stadium tour featured the return of Robbie Williams and became the most successful in UK and Irish history, selling a huge 1.34 million tickets in under 24 hours.

Jason Orange was apparently recruited initially for his good looks and dancing ability, and didn't actually sing or play an instrument on their first albums, but eventually ended up singing lead on Wooden Boat, the final track on the Beautiful World album. However, despite the long journey of Take That (and maybe because of this long journey) Orange has called time on his role in the band, saying he simply doesn't want to do it anymore. You might have thought that this would bring a natural end to the band's career, but the remaining three members have vowed to go on, in the words of U2, With or without you. 

We're sure many fans will be left in tears following this breakdancing hunk leaving the band, but keep your eyes and ears open, who know's what he'll be going on to next... 

'Flappy Birds' game gone flappy!

Today's top news? 'Flappy Birds'. You might be wondering what on earth it is, especially if iPhones and apps are somewhat unchartered territory to you, but this phenomenon has taken phone gaming to a new level. The game consist of tapping the phone screen to get a bird to fly between tubes…and that is it. The simplicity of the game may have led to it's addictiveness, and it quickly became 'the game to play'. Among kids and adults alike, high scores were being compared, with people sharing their excitement over high scores on other social networking sites.

But yesterday, the creator of 'Flappy Birds', Doug Nguyen, removed the game from the app stores, saying that the game had ruined his life and that he'd been receiving death threats via Twitter as a result of the app.

The Paradox of Abuse - The power of a good walk (May page 78)

Eli followed up his article from the April issue of the Phonebox with how, after going through a lot of soul searching and self questioning, he eventually found help.  Here is the second instalment of his story.

The Paradox of Abuse (April Phonebox p39)

The Times today are featuring Eli Ward’s story on it’s front page with a double page inside spread on pages 6 and 7. Eli first came to see us in March regarding his story and after talking to Eli and some research we decided to print the story in our April issue. 

Eli’s article was very brave, powerful and insightful. His intention was that it would reach others with any similar experiences and show them that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

The Times article is very comprehensive and well written and we think you should also read it. We do have a copy in the office in case you missed it, and a copy of the article that appeared in the Phonebox Magazine, just pop in and ask for a copy. We also have some information on the charity which Eli found help with (see below).

Climb Your Mountain:

Eli found the charity Climb Your Mountain (CYM) when he was at his lowest ebb, and found the help they provided invaluable. More information can be found on CYM in the May and June issues of Phonebox Magazine or by visiting their website. 

They also can be emailed here or by phone on 01908 231 275.  

Climb Your Mountain is based in Milton Keynes and is reliant upon people donating money, fundraising, doing challenges and trips so they can provide all these educational and support services.

They offer Confidence courses, Financial workshops, and Free advice as well as running clubs, walking groups, fitness classes and a cycling club.

So if you feel you need their help, do not hesitate to contact them.

Eli’s name was left off our April edition, after discussing it with him, because of legal reasons, but now things have changed and he feels that by going public it would help anyone in need of help.

We agree with him fully.
Editor (Phonebox Magazine)