The people of Southampton have spoken out about what they want their new MPs to do for them in the first week of their job.

Following the 2024 General Election on Thursday, Southampton gained two new Labour MPs in former city council leader Satvir Kaur and ex-deputy leader Darren Paffey.

In Bitterne - the Southampton Itchen constituency of Mr Paffey - we asked the public what the most important issues were for him to sort out.

Michael Pinckney, 81, said: "Weston Shore needs to be cleaned up along with the Royal Pier.

"They used to be lovely; now you can’t even sit down there.”

His wife Mrs Pinckney, 80, said: “I want them to fix the doctor’s surgery.

"Yesterday I called the dentist and had to listen to music for 45 minutes which is not necessary.

"I know many people who have been complaining about the surgeries."

Mike Johnstone in BitterneMike Johnstone in Bitterne (Image: NQ)

Mike Johnstone, 73, said something needed to be done about public funding.

He said: “There’s a problem with little funds because there are more retired than young.

"We should cut off the state pension except for emergencies. You can’t have people opening pension funds then wasting their money.

"It may be worse in 10 or 20 years’ time."

He added: “The health system is the number one priority that needs fixing. Also, he should sort the sewage in the sea as well as education."

Referencing a perceived lack of central Government funding for local councils, and with the city council facing cuts to close a financial defecit, he said: "We don’t get the right resources.”

On Shirley High Street, the Southampton Test constituency of Ms Kaur, Angela Pointer hoped her new MP could lobby her Labour colleagues in the city council to sort out transport.

The retired PA said: “Labour have closed a lot of the roads off which I’m unhappy with but what needs fixing are the pavements because they’re very rough and hazardous."

Regarding health, she added: “I think too many people go to A&E when they can go to a walk-in centre and go see a GP instead of a doctor.”

Cleaning up the River Itchen was also another key issue which several residents raised with the Echo.

“The rivers are very important," Ms Pointer said.