Young blood in the House of Commons
I had lunch this week with Jonathan Reynolds, the new Labour MP for Stalybridge and Hyde. He's only 29, but far from the youngest member of the House.
Indeed, it's a striking aspect of the 2010 election that so many MPs who are still in their 20s were elected. At least 12 of them by my reckoning, and there are almost certainly some I've missed
My list of 20-somethings is:
Age 25
The new Baby of the House, Pamela Nash (Lab, Airdrie + Shotts)
Age 26
Bridget Phillipson (Lab, Houghton + Sunderland)
James Wharton (Con, Stockton South)
Age 27
Anas Sarwar (Lab, Glasgow Central)
Age 28
Shabana Mahmood (Lab, Birmingham Ladywood)
Chloe Smith (Con, re-elected for Norwich North, and now a junior whip)
Gavin Shuker (Lab, Luton South)
Luciana Berger (Lab, Liverpool Wavertree)
Chris Skidmore (Con, Kingswood))
Age 29
Tom Blenkinsop (Lab, Middlesbrough South + South Cleveland)
Jonathan Reynolds (Lab, Stalybridge + Hyde).
Gemma Doyle (Lab, West Dumbartonshire)
How does this compare with other recent elections? The number of people in their 20s elected each time was:
2010 - 12 (9 Lab, 3 Con)
2005 - 3 (all Lib Dem)
2001 - 5 (4 Lab, 1 Con)
1997 - 11 (10 Lab, 1 Con)
1992 - 1 (Lib Dem)
1987 - 4 (2 Con, 1 Lib, 1 SDP)
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 16th Jun 2010, stevie wrote:remember when you had to have some knowledge of industry, commerce, business, man management anything connected with the real world...not any more and you wonder why we are in this mess???
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Comment number 2.
At 16th Jun 2010, barriesingleton wrote:"WHAT IS MY MOTIVATION IN THIS SCENE?"
So the Westminster ethos is either attracting, or attracting and letting through the selection process, a younger model, as never before. Why might that be?
In the light of Westminster-engendered opprobrium, of late, one might expect a rush in the opposite direction. Could it be that that the coursework-multiple-choice-20A-levels-50%university-soft-degree cohort, are looking for the next easy option?
Your move Michael.
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Comment number 3.
At 16th Jun 2010, DebtJuggler wrote:'Age 25
The new Baby of the House, Pamela Nash (Lab, Airdrie + Shotts)'
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How sad....especially for the constituency that this person 'represents'.
This MP was probably still at school until only 7 years ago....and more probably has only left higher education 3 years ago (at the earliest!).
What a sad and lonely childhood this MP must have had.
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Comment number 4.
At 17th Jun 2010, JunkkMale wrote:Um, are any of them any good?
Or is competence, or its lack, so last Parliament?
Much more explained. Even less excused.
At least Moira is back in the 91Èȱ¬.. somewhere.
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Comment number 5.
At 17th Jun 2010, barriesingleton wrote:AH - MIORA! (#4)
The thinking man's Vuvuzela.
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Comment number 6.
At 21st Jun 2010, Isatou wrote:Stevie,
Well said ! It should be a requirement for MPs to have had a real job first and the same could be said for journalists !
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