Siobhain McDonagh

With a reputation as one of the most hard-working MPs – thanks to her prolific case uptake and letter-writing to constituents – Siobhain McDonagh was born and bred in her constituency of Mitcham and Morden. Her venture into politics started at an early age, joining the Labour party at just 15 years old and becoming London’s youngest councillor when she joined Merton Council in 1982. Outside of her career in politics, McDonagh worked as a clerk at the Department of Health and Social Security and as a receptionist for Wandsworth Council’s homeless families unit. Later on, McDonagh served Battersea Churches Housing Trust as its development manager. Elected to parliament in 1997, housing has been a key issue for McDonagh. She has been a prominent campaigner for building houses on London’s green belt and abolishing tower blocks in favour of low-rise housing, as well as campaigning for social mobility and to tackle anti-social behaviour. McDonagh faced some criticism from the left when she associated anti-Semitism within the Labour party with what she argued was a hard left, anti-capitalist politics. She currently sits on the Panel of Chairs and the Treasury Committee.