New MPs

Constituency: Foyle
Party: Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)
Majority: 17,110
University: Liverpool
Career highlight: leader of the SDLP
EU referendum position: Remain

The leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, Eastwood’s election to the House of Commons has restored SDLP representation in Westminster after the party’s 2017 wipe-out. Foyle had been held by the SDLP for 34 years before it was won by Sinn Féin’s Elisha McCallion in 2017. Eastwood also represents the seat on the Northern Ireland Assembly, where he served as chair of the Communities Committee and served as private secretary to the then environment minister Alex Attwood. Eastwood read Latin American Studies at the University of Liverpool but did not complete his degree. He began his political career at the age of 22 when he was elected to Derry City Council and in 2010 became the city’s youngest-ever mayor at the age of 27. Subsequently, he was elected as a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Foyle and became the SDLP representative on the committee of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister. Eastwood made his maiden speech at the first opportunity and used it to lambast government plans to reduce prosecutions for former servicemen in Northern Ireland – calling the plans “an affront to victims”. He also had a dig at Sinn Féin for not taking their seats and therefore not being able to make the case for Irish unity.

Constituency: Bolsover
Party: Conservative
Majority: 5,299
University: Cambridge
Career highlight: chief of staff to Lord Popat
EU referendum position: Leave

Mark Fletcher has already earned himself a place in the history books for unseating Dennis Skinner, the veteran Labour MP who had represented Bolsover in the House of Commons since 1970 and was set to become Father of the House. This was not the first time Fletcher had stood against a prominent Labour MP. In 2015, Fletcher stood against the then Labour leader Ed Miliband in Doncaster North, coming third place, and in 2017 contested Stockton North. Since his victory, Fletcher has praised Skinner, writing: “I may not be Dennis Skinner, but I intend to do my very best to replicate his dedication and commitment to Bolsover.” Fletcher was raised by his mother in Doncaster. He was the first member of his family to go to university, where he served for two years as president of the Cambridge University Students’ Union. He went on to work as chief of staff to Lord Popat of Harrow and later as director of communications for the healthcare company Synergic Health.

Constituency: Nottingham East
Party: Labour
Majority: 17,393
University: Nottingham
Career highlight: intern for Pat Glass MP
EU referendum position: Remain

At the age of just 23, Nadia Whittome is, like her predecessor Chris Leslie, taking on the mantle of ‘Baby of the House’. She grew up in Nottingham and has described how seeing the damaging effect of the bedroom tax on her community motivated her to become involved in politics in 2013. She worked as a parliamentary intern for Pat Glass during the 2016 referendum, and used her fluent French and German to meet with Labour’s sister parties in France, Germany and Austria at this time. She went on to study Law at Nottingham, and has most recently been a project worker at Communities Inc. In addition to her media prominence as Britain’s youngest MP, Whittome drew attention for her pledge to donate over half of her parliamentary salary to her local community.

Constituency: Devizes
Party: Conservative
Majority: 23,993
University: Edinburgh
Career highlight: Only Connect founder
EU referendum position: Leave

Kruger studied at Eton, Edinburgh and Oxford, before embarking on a diverse career in politics, journalism and the charity sector. Following his DPhil in History he worked at the Centre for Policy Studies for two years, was a Conservative policy adviser for two years, and then joined the Daily Telegraph as chief leader writer for a year. In 2006, he joined David Cameron’s team, and is credited with creating his ‘hug a hoodie’ speech. He founded Only Connect with his wife, a charity that helps prevent former inmates from reoffending, and was chief executive of the charity from 2008 to 2015. His charitable work also included two years as chief executive of West London Zone, a charity working to help children achieve their potential, after which he became a senior fellow at the Legatum Institute. He became Boris Johnson’s political secretary in the summer of 2019, moving across the road from an expert adviser role at the DCMS, and counts as one of the prime minister’s close allies.

Constituency: Sevenoaks
Party: Conservative
Majority: 20,818
University: Oxford
Career highlight: director of strategic communications to David Cameron
EU referendum position: Remain

After studying History and Economics at Oxford, Trott began her career in the private sector, and then worked as an adviser in the Cabinet Office and Downing Street. She wrote the Conservative 2015 manifesto and was David Cameron’s director of strategic communications until his resignation. She returns to politics after a spell as a partner at Portland Communications. She voted Remain, but has signed up to Boris Johnson’s Brexit agenda, despite remarks to Newsnight during his leadership campaign that his premiership would likely result in a Labour election victory. She is a first generation student and an ambassador for the Sutton Trust.

Constituency: North East Fife
Party: Liberal Democrats
Majority: 1,316
University: Edinburgh
Career highlight: police officer
EU referendum position: Remain

After studying English Language and Literature at Edinburgh University, Chamberlain pursued a career of public service with the police. She spent six years as a constable for the Lothian and Borders police force, during which time she and a colleague received the Chief Constable’s Commendation for disarming a violent offender during a domestic dispute. She subsequently worked for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and the Scottish Police Services Authority. She worked for Career Transition Partnership (an MOD contractor that helps ex-service personnel return to civilian life). She worked for drinks giant Diageo between 2015 and 2019. She believes passionately in the Union, and told Mace that “it’s by putting the issues of Brexit and independence to bed that we can get on with building a brighter future for our economy and focusing on the issues that really matter – mental health, education and protecting the environment.”

Constituency: Stirling
Party: SNP
Majority: 9,254
University: Leeds
Career highlight: MEP
EU referendum position: Remain

Alyn Smith grew up in Scotland and Saudi Arabia before studying Law and European Law at Leeds University. He later qualified with Clifford Chance, before a return to Scotland for a brief legal career. He was first elected as an MEP for Scotland in 2004 (re-elected in 2009, 2014 and 2019), and, up until the election, was group leader of the SNP Group in Brussels. He is an honorary vice-president at the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and a trustee at LGBT Youth Scotland. He describes Stirling as “the jewel in Scotland’s crown” and Stirling constituency as “the heart of Scotland”.

Constituency: Newbury
Party: Conservative
Majority: 16,047
University: Oxford
Career highlight: employment and equality barrister
EU referendum position: Remain

Laura Farris grew up in Newbury: her father served as an MP for the Berkshire town. She studied PPE at Oxford and went on to work for Reuters, BBC News and then Senator Hillary Clinton. She returned to the UK and was called to the Bar in 2007, going on to specialise in employment and equality law. Her candidacy was endorsed by senior WEP member Harini Iyengar as someone “who would enrich our parliament”. She voted Remain in 2016, but pledged, like all Tory MP candidates, unequivocally to honour the referendum result.

Constituency: Vauxhall
Party: Labour
Majority: 19,612
University: Middlesex
Career highlight: Greater London Assembly member
EU referendum position: Remain

Florence Eshalomi replaces Kate Hoey in an out-and-out Remain seat. A Labour party moderate and lifelong Brixton resident,
Eshalomi is a first generation student, who studied Political & International Studies, with Law at Middlesex University. She has been active in local politics since 2006 as a thrice-elected Lambeth Councillor and a GLA Assembly member from 2016. She is passionate about the arts with roles at the Young Vic and Arts Council. Married with two children, she is a Eucharist Reader at Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Brixton.

Constituency: East Surrey
Party: Conservative
Majority: 24,040
University: Oxford
Career highlight: special adviser to Chief Secretary of the Treasury Rishi Sunak
EU referendum position: Leave

Claire Coutinho studied Maths and Philosophy at Oxford University and began her career in the City. In 2017, she left KPMG to help deliver Brexit, spending two years as a special adviser in the Treasury, including to the Chief Secretary of the Treasury, Rishi Sunak. Coutinho was a committed Brexiter before and after the referendum, and has been very well received by the East Surrey Conservatives. They have spoken highly of her commitment, competency and work ethic, noting especially her favourable reception with Young Conservatives, and her “knack of putting over facts in a very sympathetic way”. Her perfect weekend would involve food markets, walks in the hills, and a good crime documentary.