PPC: Andrew Pakes

Constituency: Milton Keynes North

Website: www.andrewpakes.org.uk    

Telephone: 01908 314974

Email: andrewpakes@googlemail.com

Address: The Labour Hall 112 Newport Road New Bradwell Milton Keynes, MK13 0AA    

Andrew is the Labour and Co-op parliamentary candidate for Milton Keynes North. He was born in Newport Pagnell in April 1973 and brought up on the Poets Estate, where his parents still live. As someone who was born and brought up in Newport Pagnell, Andrew has a good understanding of the problems and concerns facing the area.

Andrew was educated locally, at Portfields Combined School and then went to Ousedale School. Growing up in Milton Keynes, he has seen many of the changes facing the city first hand, from the growth of the city centre to the changing nature of the towns and villages in the north-east. 

His family are closely linked to the industries that have shaped Milton Keynes. His grand parents worked at the old Wolverton rail works and his dad and brother at Aston Martins. Andrew’s mother worked first as a policewoman and then at Rank Xerox in Newport Pagnell. His great grandfather was one of the founding members of Bradwell Labour Party.

After studying for his A Levels at Ousedale School, Andrew became a student at the University of Hull, the first of his family to enter higher education. As a student, Andrew was involved in a number of high-profile campaigns against the then Tory Government's cuts to education funding.

Andrew is an experienced representative and campaigner. He was twice elected as the Labour President of the National Union of Students (NUS) , the first student from Milton Keynes to hold this position. In this role, Andrew represented nearly four million students in further and higher education.

Following his studies, Andrew worked for the Association of University Teachers (AUT), the union representing staff in higher education, including many people working for the Open University here in Milton Keynes.

Andrew is standing as the Labour and Co-operative candidate for Milton Keynes North. He is backed by the local Co-op because of his track record in campaigning on issues such as fair trade, environmental sustainability, trade justice and co-operative issues. Andrew is also a member of the trade union, unite (TGWU).

A committed environmentalist, Andrew first became interested in green issues as a teenager with the expansion of Milton Keynes. His concerns include the poor state of public transport, building standards and the protection of our green areas. He has studied environmental issues at post-graduate level and is the vice-chair of SERA, the national Labour movement and trade union environmental campaigning group.

Today, Andrew works as a consultant advising public authorities and organisations on transport policy and the environment. He splits his time between Milton Keynes and his work in London, where he is a Labour councillor representing one of the poorest areas in the country.

If elected as the Labour MP for Milton Keynes North, Andrew will be the first parliamentary representative for at least half a century to be born and raised within the constituency boundaries.