BASINGSTOKE’S new Labour MP has said he wants to be a ‘champion’ for the town and to be ‘visible’ to his constituents.

Speaking to the Gazette exclusively in his first interview with the paper after being elected to represent Basingstoke, Luke Murphy said his priority is to the town.

“The overwhelming sense was that Basingstoke has massive potential but it’s not being realised and my job is to help realise that,” he said.

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Mr Murphy has already opened a new constituency office in Winchester Street, at the Top of Town, and said his ambition is “to be the most visible and accessible MP”.

“I have started as I mean to go on,” he said, highlighting the surgeries he has already held with constituents as well as plans for regular coffee mornings.

Speaking about his top priorities for Basingstoke, Mr Murphy said revitalising the Top of Town and the town centre is a key issue as well as tackling anti-social car meets.

“My first job is to be a really strong representative for Basingstoke,” he said, adding that another major priority is access to GP appointments, which he said many residents raised as an issue during his election campaign.

Asked how this will be achieved, he said: “We have got a national plan for the health service and my job is to make sure that comes to Basingstoke. Part of the plan is ensuring access to GPs at weekends and having a named family doctor.”

He added: “GP appointments needs to be one of the biggest focus for health now. It’s about prevention. We want to avoid people getting into more complex situations or needing more acute support and we can do that if we have an effective front door health care through GPs.”

Mr Murphy said other priorities include ensuring education thrives in Basingstoke, particularly for those with special educational needs who he said have been ‘let down’, and having more police.