‘It’s one year since I became Britain’s youngest MP. Here’s what I’ve achieved so far’

It’s been almost a year since I became the Member of Parliament for North West Cambridgeshire.

That still feels surreal to say. I don’t think the weight of the role ever really wears off – and nor should it. Being an MP is a huge responsibility, and I’m grateful every day to have the chance to advocate for my community and fight to make a difference through this role.

This job is often defined by extremes. You can go from a quiet one-to-one chat with a constituent to standing in the House of Commons Chamber a few hours later.

You’re asked to think about long-term national strategy one moment, and then help someone navigate an urgent housing issue the next. That contrast is demanding – but it’s also what makes the role so rewarding.

‘No two days are the same’

North West Cambridgeshire is one of the most geographically and socially varied constituencies in the country. It includes everything from village communities like Wittering and Stilton to market towns like Ramsey, alongside parts of Peterborough like Stanground and Hampton that are growing fast.

That mix means no two days are the same – and that the needs people raise with me are incredibly diverse.

In my first year as North West Cambridgeshire’s MP, my team and I have responded to over 5,000 constituent cases. Some of that work is visible – like speaking out in Parliament about NHS backlogs, bus services or local housing standards – but much of it happens behind the scenes.

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Helping someone appeal an unfair Home Office decision; getting urgent medical support in place for a vulnerable resident; helping a family secure a school place or resolve a welfare issue. That’s the core of being a constituency MP – and it’s a part of the job I care deeply about.

I’ve loved visiting schools and working to educate and empower more young people to engage with politics. I’ve had the opportunity to support local charities and businesses and help to coordinate ways we can all work together for the good of our region.

And I’ve been able to have MPs from across the country visit RAF Wittering to highlight the base’s key role in training, engineering and defence logistics. That sense of pride in our area – and the people who keep it going – comes through in every visit.

A baptism of fire

Westminster is, of course, a different world – and not one that’s always easy to navigate. The learning curve is steep, especially when half the rules are unwritten and rely on someone telling you after you’ve already broken one!

But my sense is that the new intake of MPs are keen to modernise – I certainly am – and hopefully some of that drive will soon start to take effect.

And dealing with the media was nothing short of a baptism of fire. The Sunday after the election, I did a BBC Breakfast interview where the presenter challenged me on my age. My response went viral online, and I never expected that kind of reaction so early on. Thankfully, things have calmed down a little since!

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I’ve been lucky to take on some responsibilities that match my passions and background, including co-chairing the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee – an organisation which seeks to promote evidence-based decision making and stronger interaction between scientists and politicians, through bringing research and representative bodies right into the heart of Parliament.

Education is another priority – particularly around the digital world that young people now grow up in. From tackling misinformation to supporting mental health, we need to equip young people with the tools to navigate a complex online environment safely and confidently.

In particular, I’m pushing for research and critical thinking skills to be bolstered in the curriculum and brought forward to younger age groups – because right now, our system isn’t dealing with the fact that young people get so much information from online sources without thinking about whether it’s reliable or accurate.

In a world where it often isn’t, that is a significant issue.

‘Challenges still lie ahead’

Locally, I’ve fought for better transport, backing Labour’s Better Buses Bill to give communities like ours more control over routes, fares and timetables.

That includes calling on the new Mayor to protect vital local services– and standing up for the Tiger Bus Pass, one of Labour’s proudest achievements from our time running the Combined Authority, which has enabled more than 1.5 million £1 journeys for young people in our region.

Of course, some of the biggest challenges still lie ahead. We’re not going to fix everything overnight – especially after years of underinvestment and short-term thinking. But we’re already starting to see the impact of having a government that’s focused on long-term planning, investment and fairness.

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Whether that’s in the NHS, the energy system, or the fact that we now have a strong industrial strategy, the shift in tone and ambition is real.

For me, the test of this job is simple: am I doing everything I can to listen to local people, take their concerns seriously, and work constructively to get things done? That’s what I’ve tried to do in my first year – and it’s what I’ll keep doing, every day I’m in this role.

This job isn’t about status or ceremony – it’s about service. And the trust that people place in you when they cast their vote is something I will never take lightly.

There’s so much more I want to get done. But I’m proud of what we’ve achieved already – and more determined than ever to keep going.

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