Southampton Itchen MP Darren Paffey aims to 'remove barriers' for other 'working class foster kids'

Darren Paffey MP spoke to ITV News Meridian as he packed up his old academic office in Southampton, as Political Correspondent Kit Bradshaw reports

The new Member of Parliament for Southampton Itchen has spoken of his desire to ‘remove barriers’ so other ‘working class foster kids’ can ‘achieve their dreams’.

Darren Paffey was born in Gateshead and taken into foster care as a 10-month-old baby. He moved with his foster parents to Hampshire, where they eventually adopted him.

Speaking to ITV News Meridian, the Labour MP said: “Lots of people think MPs are all from very privileged backgrounds. Actually, I was in social care when I was a child.

“I had fantastic foster parents, who were from a completely working class family. Both my mum and dad were working by the age of 15.

“They really encouraged me in education and that started to become the thing that I really enjoyed – being at school and then going on to college and university. It was just a completely new experience for me and my family.”

Darren was the first in his family to go to university and, prior to his election, had spent 24 years at the University of Southampton.

He started at the institution’s Avenue Campus as a student before rising up the ranks to become an Associate Professor in the Centre for Linguistics, Language Education and Acquisition Research.

“It feels really strange,” Darren said as he cleared his old academic office. “This is a large chunk of my life that I'm packing into boxes and leaving behind. And this university has been absolutely instrumental in me getting where I am today.”

In his maiden speech to Parliament on 24 July, Darren said: “If I achieve just one thing as an MP… I hope it will be to say to those whose backgrounds look anything like mine: Let those challenging times and that stigma that often comes with social care never ever hold you back, but instead forge in yourself a steely determination to achieve your fullest potential.”

His adoptive parents, who supported him throughout his academic and local political career, weren't alive to see his election as an MP in July.

Darren described educational opportunity for the next generation as an absolute priority for him. He added: “It has been the making of me. The experience of being inspired in education has opened the doors that I have passed through to get to where I am today.

“From a working class foster kid to being an associate professor, as I was, and now to being a Member of Parliament. I don't want to keep that to myself.

“I want that to be the story of anyone who wants to go on and achieve their dreams, whatever they look like. We need to remove those barriers. That's the role I want to play in this government.”

Darren Paffey, 46, won Southampton Itchen at the general election, taking the seat for Labour from the Conservatives with a majority of 6,105.

The city is also represented in the House of Commons by Labour’s Satvir Kaur, who won in the neighbouring Southampton Test constituency.

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