Former Wolverhampton MP standing to be Labour's choice for Wycombe in political comeback
A former Wolverhampton MP who served in the shadow cabinet has thrown her hat into the ring to become Labour's parliamentary candidate for Wycombe.
Emma Reynolds held the Wolverhampton North East seat for nine years until the 2019 general election when she was beaten by Conservative Jane Stevenson.
She described the time as a "great privilege" as she set her sights on becoming the Labour candidate for Wycombe – a seat last won by the party back in 1950.
It marks a comeback for the politician who has held a number of shadow cabinet roles, last serving briefly as the Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary.
The former MP, who shared a video on social media announcing her intent, said: "I'm standing to be Labour's parliamentary candidate at the next general election in Wycombe. I'm a highly experienced campaigner – I know what it takes to win.
"I fought the last four general elections in a marginal seat. It was a great privilege to serve as the Labour MP for Wolverhampton North East for nearly a decade and also to serve in the shadow cabinet.
"As shadow housing minister, I led Labour's policies for more council housing, greater security for private renters and an end to rough sleeping and homelessness. As an MP, I listened to my constituents, took up their concerns and got things done. One of my proudest moments was preventing the illegal deportation of one my constituents from the Windrush Generation (Paulette Wilson)."
Mrs Reynolds, who now lives in Buckinghamshire but is from Wolverhampton, said her mother – a single parent in a council flat – taught her the values of fairness and hard work, but "all too often" people's opportunities were limited by their background.
She added the early experiences shaped her values and drove her determination "to get involved in politics and make a difference", adding people in Wycombe were struggling with the cost of living despite Buckinghamshire being one of the "richest counties in the country".
The former MP called on people to support her to become Labour's candidate for Wycombe to win the seat – a marginal held by Conservative MP and Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker – and pave the way for a Labour Government.
Mrs Reynolds has previously served as a Shadow Minister for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Shadow Minister for Europe, the Shadow Minister for Housing and the Communities and Local Government Secretary briefly – before she stood down when Jeremy Corbyn became Labour leader in 2015.
John Haire, later Baron Haire of Whiteabbey, won Wycombe for Labour in 1945, winning it again in 1950 before losing out to the Conservatives in 1951. He was made a peer in 1965.
