A record-breaking parliament: 14 records and firsts as 2024 intake make history

The 2024 general election and resultant parliament and cabinet have seen numerous firsts and records broken – from the first female Chancellor to a record number of ethnic minority MPs elected.

Here’s our round-up of some of the landmark moments from this year’s election. Know of any more? Do get in touch with us at [email protected] or via DM with your source and we will add it to our list.

First female Chancellor

Rachel Reeves’ appointment as Chancellor makes her the first woman to hold the position in its centuries-long existence.

She told Treasury staff on her first day in the role that it was a “huge privilege” to be the first-ever female Chancellor, adding: “To every young woman and girl watching this: let today show that there should be no ceilings on your ambitions, your hopes or your dreams.”

Record number of ethnic minority MPs

A record number of 90 ethnic minority MPs were elected this year, according to analysis by the think tank British Future.

The think tank said this parliament comes closer than ever before to reflecting the diversity of the electorate, with 13.8% of MPs coming from an ethnic minority background, while it is estimated that 14% of the UK electorate is from an ethnic minority background.

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According to British Future, the new parliament includes 66 Labour MPs from an ethnic minority background, 16% of the new Parliamentary Labour Party.

First-time Labour gains

Labour gained various seats covering areas it has never represented before, including Alex Baker winning the key target seat of Aldershot in Hampshire. Other first-time winners include:

• Dan Aldridge in Weston-super-Mare
• Maya Ellis in Ribble Valley
• Peter Swallow in Bracknell
• Laura Kyrke-Smith in Aylesbury
• Peter Prinsley in Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket

Are you a Labour MP or LabourList reader in a seat Labour has won for the first time at this election? Get in touch and we will add it to our list.

Youngest female cabinet minister

Louise Haigh’s selection as Transport Secretary makes her the youngest female cabinet minister to ever be appointed, at 36 years old.

READ MORE: Cabinet and minister appointments: Full list versus Labour shadow frontbench

Commenting on her appointment, the Sheffield Heeley MP said: “The hard work starts today. Transport is at the heart of Labour’s mission-led government. We will deliver the biggest overhaul of public transport in a generation – putting passengers first, and transport infrastructure fit for modern Britain.”

First ethnic minority MP elected in Wales

Kanishka Narayan, the new Labour MP for Vale of Glamorgan, has become the first ethnic minority MP in Wales, BBC News reports.

Speaking following his election, Narayan said: “We have amazing talent in Wales, from all walks of life and all backgrounds and if my standing here has any role to play in encouraging others to from range of different backgrounds, I would be delighted and honoured to be a part of it.”

Most diverse cabinet in terms of education background

Keir Starmer’s first cabinet is the most diverse in terms of education background ever recorded, according to analysis by the Sutton Trust, with the majority having attended comprehensive schools.

READ MORE: King’s Speech 2024: What policies to expect in Labour’s 35 bills

23 of Starmer’s cabinet ministers were educated at comprehensive schools, equivalent to 92% of the total. The Sutton Trust noted this was “drastically higher” than the cabinets of Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, which it said were both at 19%.

The highest proportion of state-educated MPs

Further research from the Sutton Trust found that 63% of the 650 MPs elected this year were educated at comprehensive schools – the highest proportion ever recorded, and up from 54% at the last election.

The Sutton Trust said there has been a “sea change” in the proportion of comprehensive-educated MPs holding power, with 73% of Labour MPs having attended comprehensives, compared to 42% of Conservative MPs elected in 2019.

But it highlighted that the majority of the House of Commons continues to attend a “narrow range of universities”, and noted that there had been a fall in the proportion of MPs elected who had not taken an undergraduate degree.

First MPs born in the 21st century

This general election saw the election of the first MPs born in the 21st century. According to journalist Michael Crick, of the Tomorrow’s MPs X account, three new Labour MPs were born in the 21st century: Sam Carling, Josh Dean and Euan Stainbank.

READ MORE: Union calls for ‘oven ready’ legislation in King’s Speech on workers’ rights

At aged 22, Carling, the new MP for North West Cambridgeshire, is the new baby of the House, the youngest member of the new parliament.

First Chinese-born MP

Former Financial Times journalist Yuan Yang, the new Labour MP for Earley and Woodley, has become the first Chinese-born MP in parliament, according to the FT’s James Kynge.

Commenting following her election, Yang said in a post on X: “Thank you to everyone in our new constituency of Earley, Woodley, Shinfield and Whitley – I’m so honoured to be your voice in parliament.”

Record level of Sikh representation

The new parliament has a record level of Sikh representation, according to Labour’s Preet Kaur Gill MP, who wrote in a post on X that it was “brilliant to see”.

She added: “It was the privilege of my life to be the first Sikh woman elected to UK parliament. Congratulations to all my new [Labour] colleagues – I look forward to working together.”

Proportion of female MPs more than 40% for first time

The proportion of women elected to parliament is at more than 40% for the first time ever, BBC News reports, with Queen Mary, University of London putting the figure at 40.6%, up from the 34.2% at the 2019 election. This translates to 264 female MPs in this parliament.

And a record number of women in cabinet

Starmer’s cabinet also contains a record 11 women, according to BBC News.

First-time female MPs for numerous seats

Female Labour MPs have become the first women to represent various seats after this election, including Julia Buckley in Shrewsbury, Jodie Gosling in Nuneaton, Rosie Wrighting in Kettering and Pam Cox in Colchester.

READ MORE: MPs battle it out in PLP elections as Starmer allies seek NEC return

Are you a Labour MP or LabourList reader in a seat with a first-ever female MP? Get in touch and we will add them to our list.

Record number of Co-op MPs

The Co-operative Party, Labour’s sister party, has said it has elected its largest ever cohort of MPs at this election.

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