10 MPs to Watch in Westminster
Catherine Atkinson – Derby North:
Labour – Majority, 8,915.
Elected to Parliament on her 4th attempt, look at Barrister Catherine Atkinson to make a strong impression in on the green benches after taking the bellwether seat of Derby North. The current chair of the Society of Labour Lawyers and a former chair of the Socialist Societies executive, she is well known in the party and is respected as a tenacious campaigner. Prior to entering Parliament, she was leading a team of barristers on the Undercover Policing Inquiry and practiced personal injury law, expect her to be an intelligent and powerful voice on the benches.
Nigel Farage – Clacton:
Reform – Majority, 8,405.
In a lesson in staying power, Nigel Farage finally entering Parliament on his 8th attempt is perhaps the B storyline of this election. What the Reform results will mean for the Conservative party in the long term remains to be seem, provocateur Farage will no doubt take it upon himself to be the voice of the Right in Parliament. The former MEP has had scores of people claiming he won’t be up to scratch as a local MP, however, if he can make a good impression locally, will he be able to convince other left behind constituencies to come with him? Or will his propensity to blow his own trumpet end up getting him into hot water?
Torston Bell – Swansea West:
Labour – Majority, 8,515.
The ex-Chief Executive of the Resolution Foundation and honorary professor at UCL, Torston Bell took the traditionally Labour safe seat of Swansea West. A former economic advisor to Alistair Darling and a constant high scorer on power figures on the left, expect Bell to be a key part of the Labour policy unit in the early part of the first Starmer ministry especially regarding child poverty and social justice. Outside of policy, Bell is widely credited as being the architect of the Ed Stone fiasco in the last days of the 2015 election. Out of all the new intake, expect him to be amongst the first to reach ministerial level.
Bobby Dean – Carshalton and Wallington:
Liberal Democrat – Majority, 7,905
Taking back Tom Brake’s seat had been on the cards for a while, but the 8,000 majority Bobby Dean has taken will no doubt make people sit up and take note across SW1. The Liberal Democrats will be keen to show off the small business owner who is passionate about reducing global poverty. He has also been named a green champion in the ENDS power report this year as someone who has had the greatest impact on green policies over the past 2 years. It remains to be seen out of the 63 new Lib Dems who will break out, but the dynamic Dean has all the properties to become a star on the opposition benches.
Luke Akehurst – North Durham:
Labour – Majority, 5,873.
Labour NEC executive member Luke Akehurst’s selection in North Durham caused consternation in party so often at war with itself. His 3rd election as candidate, Akehurst will finally have the chance to impress the party he has been a member of since he was 16. From the right of the party, Akehurst will be an antagonist to the Labour hard left during any factional warfare the party may face. Akehurst suffers with Polyneuropathy, Organomegaly, Endocrinopathy, Myeloma protein, and skin changes (POEMs) syndrome that left in hospital for 5 months with a further 9 in a wheelchair which he says has solidified his view on social care. A supporter of the Prime Minister during his leadership bid, might early promotion be for him?
Paul Waugh – Rochdale:
Labour – Majority, 1,440.
Coming into Parliament after declaring it was time to stop being a “spectator and start being a player”, Paul Waugh won a potentially tricky battle with George Galloway. Rochdale, through and through, Waugh’s victory will give a warm feeling to the Labour party who have seen loses and cuts in their majorities to independents in seats with similar demographics. Those who read his morning Waugh zone emails know he was one of Fleet Streets finest Lobby journalists before entering parliament, he is going to feel right at home in the palace.
Aphra Brandreth – Chester South and Eddisbury:
Conservative – Majority, 3,057.
Steeped in Conservative party politics from a young age, Aphra Brandreth has been elected to part of the seat her father held in the 90s, in what had been seen as a tight contest. Before entering Parliament, she has been a government economist, a small business owner (a pet service) and podcaster (The Commonwealth poetry podcast). As one of the few new faces on the now diminished Conservative opposition, and with the chances to impress as a new Conservative suddenly open, expect her to be part of the party’s introspection and rebuild.
Rachel Blake- Cities of London and Westminster:
Labour party – Majority, 2,738.
Blake took Labour to new territory on Thursday by taking the long-time Conservative seat of the Cities of London and Westminster. A long-time social housing advocate who had consistently called for a review of homelessness legislation and reform of help to buy, she will be able to keep her party honest on their housing and planning strategy. She has also pledged to clamp down on the amount of dirty money that passes through the most famous streets in the country, a policy that is no doubt going to win acclaim across the board.
And returning – Douglas Alexander – Lothian East:
Labour party – Majority, 13,265.
The former Blair and Brown cabinet minister returns to Parliament after a nine-year spell which saw him working for Harvard (as a Senior Fellow), as chair of UNICEF UK and as a senior advisor to Bono. Expect to see Alexander making an almost instant return to government. Having been almost silent during the Corbyn years, it will be interesting to see how Alexander is welcomed back into the fold by all sides of the party, but be in no doubt, Starmer will be pleased to have a reliable performer to help promote his agenda.
And returning – Melanie Onn – Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes
Labour – Majority, 4,803.
Returning to the reimagined seat that she lost in 2019, Melanie Onn now sits surround by blue on the East coast. During her last spell in Parliament Onn had tried to keep her constituents onside by voting for Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, which was unable to help her keep her seat. Whilst out of Parliament, Onn served as deputy chief executive as RenewableUK, during her time there she worked on several initiatives to shape the social and economic impact of energy transition. She then also went to work for the Blakeney group. Having served as both shadow Leader of the House and Housing Minister during her first spell in Parliament, Onn could well make her return straight into government.