Carolyn Harris

Carolyn Harris is the deputy leader of Welsh Labour and the Labour MP for Swansea East since 2015. Born in 1960 in Swansea, Harris studied Social History and Social Policy at the city’s university. After graduating, she worked for Swansea-based community projects including the Guiding Hand Association and the Joshua Foundation before becoming a parliamentary assistant to Siân James, the member of parliament for Swansea East at the time. After James stood down, Harris won the seat and joined the Welsh Affairs Committee and the Environmental Audit Committee. In 2016, she was appointed as shadow Home Office minister and was later moved to her current position as shadow minister for women and equalities. Harris went on to become the first ever deputy leader of Welsh Labour in 2018. Harris campaigned for the Fair Funerals Campaign in 2016 to press the government to create a Children’s Funeral Fund. Harris herself lost her son in 1989 and was forced to take out a loan and rely on donations to cover the funeral costs. The fund was announced in Wales in 2017, then England and Scotland in 2018. She gave an emotional speech in 2019 to thank MPs from across the political divide for their support. Her campaigning on the issue was praised by John Bercow and Theresa May. She also successfully campaigned to reduce the maximum stake on fixed-odds-betting terminals. In the last parliament, she chaired five All-Party Parliamentary Groups: Beauty, Aesthetics and Wellbeing, Children in Wales, Gambling Related Harm, Home Electrical Safety, and State Pension Inequality for Women. She was re-elected in the 2019 election, though her majority fell to 7,970. In 2020, she backed Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership. Harris is currently leading a campaign to raise money for struggling Swansea families at Christmas, notably receiving a £15,000 donation from footballer Gareth Bale.

Hot Seat

What domestic issues or reforms are of most concern to you?

Gambling reform.

Which foreign affairs issues are of most importance to you?

Protection of the Good Friday agreement.

Which historical figures, political or otherwise, do you take inspiration from?

Barbara Castle.