Alicia Kearns MP: Fighting for Rutland’s Voice
An exclusive interview with Alicia Kearns, MP for Rutland and Stamford, on the fight against council reorganisation, Benedict’s Law and local campaigns
An hour in Alicia Kearns’ company is a reminder that the work of an MP can begin with one family in difficulty and extend all the way to Westminster and Washington. We caught up with Rutland and Stamford’s representative as she fights to protect Rutland’s identity, champions better local services, and celebrates a new law that will help keep children with allergies safe at school. “Every MP does the job completely differently,” she says. “The only thing I have as an MP is my voice, and I have to rely on people knowing that if I raise it, I’m serious.” Her team receives around 400 casework requests each week, covering everything from pensions and housing to special educational needs and veterans’ welfare.
Fighting for Rutland’s Voice
Among Alicia’s current local battles is the Government’s reorganisation of councils across England. Ministers had chosen a two-authority model for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, under which Rutland County Council would have ceased to exist from 31st March 2028, becoming part of a much larger Leicestershire and Rutland authority serving around 578,000 people. Alicia’s petition opposing the plans attracted more than 6,500 signatures, and she presented it to the Commons on 14th September. Her preferred option would have been a smaller rural authority bringing together Rutland, Stamford and neighbouring market towns and villages with similar needs.
An Update Since Our Interview
Since we spoke to Alicia, the Government announced on 7th September that local government reorganisation in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland — along with 13 other areas including Lincolnshire — would be paused pending a review, following updated legal advice from the Communities Secretary. The pause doesn’t resolve the matter permanently, but it is a significant, if temporary, win for the campaign Alicia and thousands of local residents have fought for.
The Rutland Sea Dragon and Other Campaigns
Alicia’s campaign to bring the county’s ichthyosaur fossil home continues too. The Rutland Sea Dragon, more than 10 metres long, is the largest and most complete example ever discovered in Britain, yet remains subject to a legal agreement between Anglian Water, which owns the fossil, and the council. Her immediate goal is to ensure the new Rutland County Museum is designed with sufficient space to display it in future. Elsewhere, Alicia has secured road safety improvements on the A1, backed local businesses through a Favourite Pub Award and Independent Shop Awards, and worked to improve mobile reception and bus connectivity across the constituency.
Benedict’s Law
Perhaps the clearest example of local becoming national is Benedict’s Law. Benedict Blythe, from Stamford, died in 2021 following an allergic reaction at school. Working with his family, Alicia pursued an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, resulting in statutory allergy-safety duties and school policies. “There were moments when the Government appeared unwilling to accept the proposal, but we won, and that’s all that matters,” she says. “It will now save children’s lives.”
FAQ
Who is the MP for Rutland and Stamford?
Alicia Kearns has been the MP for Rutland and Stamford since 2024, having previously served as MP for Rutland and Melton from 2019.
Is Rutland County Council being abolished?
Plans to replace Rutland County Council with a larger Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland authority were paused by the Government on 7 September 2026, pending a review.
What is Benedict’s Law?
An amendment secured by Alicia Kearns to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, introducing statutory allergy-safety duties in schools, named after Stamford schoolboy Benedict Blythe.
What is the Rutland Sea Dragon?A more than 10-metre-long ichthyosaur fossil discovered in Rutland — the largest and most complete of its kind found in Britain — which Alicia Kearns is campaigning to have permanently displayed in the county.
