What are Labour’s newest MPs proudest of two years into government?

As Labour marks two years in government, its newest MPs are beginning to build their own records in Westminster and back home in their constituencies.

LabourList asked members of the 2024 intake what they are proudest of personally achieving since their election, and which government policy or reform they believe has made the biggest difference so far.

Phil Brickell (Bolton West)

When I came into Parliament, my focus was on how I can best use my expertise in tackling corruption, bribery and economic crime to actually improve the day-to-day lives of my constituents. Which is why I was so pleased that, after some hard lobbying from myself and colleagues, in the November 2025 budget Rachel Reeves announced £45m in funding for the High Streets Illegality Taskforce, which is already bearing fruit in my constituency. 

Dodgy vape shops, barber shops, nail salons and the like undercut genuine businesses and fuel organised crime and modern slavery. I’m going to use the rest of my time here in Parliament to make sure that high streets in towns such as Westhoughton, Horwich and Blackrod are returned to our communities as places we can all be proud of.

Beccy Cooper (Worthing West)

In the two years since the general election, I am proud of the progress our Labour government has already made whilst recognising there is still more to do. From the Renters’ Rights Act to reforms of the Employment Rights Act and changes to tobacco and vape legislation, these are compassionate, progressive laws already making a real difference to people’s lives.

As a public health doctor, I am passionate about securing reforms to the Clean Air Act, improving gambling regulation, updating the Public Health Act and setting a minimum unit pricing for alcohol in England – all areas which shape our everyday health. 

Locally in Worthing, I am working with the emerging Worthing Lido Community Group on a plan to bring our beautiful Lido back to life. I will continue to champion policies and explore funding opportunities to support our town centre and high street, and to tackle the coastal inequalities we know exist across our part of Sussex.

Cat Eccles (Stourbridge)

Best achievement was pushing the govt to move on the ill-thought-out welfare reforms.

I’m proud to have the opportunity to raise the profile of operating department practitioners, my profession for 20 years and ensure their experience and voice is included in health debates, and being able to advocate to expand their roles. I’m also proud to have impacted changes to steel quotas by consistently lobbying the dept and ministers in behalf of local steel businesses. 

Party achievements – Renters’ Rights Act, nationalising railways, and lifting the  two-child benefit cap

Graeme Downie (Dunfermline and Dollar)

For my biggest personal accomplishment, there’s two I would say. We managed to get a constituent £50,000 back because of a Universal Credit error, which means he will now be able to get a stair lift for his wife who’s disabled. In the constituency, we got £3 million from the Treasury through the Mission Growth Fund to bring a ferry back that will go from Rosyth in the constituency across to mainland Europe.

In terms of government wins, I think the Employment Rights Act, the increase in defence spending, resetting our trading relationship with the EU, and having record budgets for Scotland. I could keep going, but I’ll stop there!

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Kirith Entwistle (Bolton North East)

Personal achievement: being part of the women and equalities team that introduced paid bereavement leave for parents who have experienced baby loss

Govt achievements: lifting children out of poverty by abolishing the two-child limit, de-criminalising abortion, re-introducing Sure Start in the form of Best Start hubs, the Employment Rights Act, renters’ rights and northern powerhouse rail

Jodie Gosling (Nuneaton)

Nationally – repealing the two-child benefit cap

Personally – either repealing the presumption of contact in family courts or passing Benedict’s Law.

Noah Law (St Austell and Newquay)

Kernow Industrial Growth Fund: From begging bowl to local growth investor, the £30 million of investment funding announced in the last budget for Cornwall’s most promising industry represents a mindset shift and a maturation in the way our region does economic development, and a potential taste of things to come under a Government that puts devolution and local growth front and centre of its agenda.

Gordon McKee (Glasgow South)

I’m really proud to have secured £20 million for Castlemilk in my constituency through the Pride in Place fund. This kind of investment is going to have a huge impact on the local area there, and I can’t wait to work with the community to decide where it should go.

For me, the Employment Rights Act is Labour’s biggest achievement since taking office. It’s the biggest boost of workers’ rights for a generation, giving millions of people more security, fairness and dignity at work.

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Matt Turmaine (Watford)

Obviously, getting elected to Parliament representing my fellow Watford residents is an achievement in itself.  My biggest personal accomplishment is quite timely, actually. I presented the bill to Parliament, which automatically allows pubs to stay open longer for major sporting events.

In terms of the government’s achievements, it is hard to pick one given there have been many whilst unravelling and putting right 14 years of Tory chaos. But I think it is getting round to lifting the two-child benefit cap and taking children out of poverty. Surely that is what Labour is all about?

I have also kept the PM and Secretaries of State for Health and Social Care aware of the need to build Watford’s new hospital and lobbied at every available opportunity for it.

David Williams (Stoke-on-Trent North)

For me, it has to be ceramics. My mum and my grandad worked in the potbanks of Tunstall and Burslem — it’s not just our city’s history, it’s my family’s. 

When I was elected, I said the Potteries would have a proper voice in Westminster again, and I’ve tried to live up to that every single week: raising ceramics in the Commons, working with colleagues across Staffordshire, standing up for the people who actually make things in this country. And believe me, nobody holds my feet to the fire on it like my mum does. 

So when the Government announced £120 million for our ceramics industry in May — real money, to help our manufacturers invest in modern equipment, cut their energy bills and keep skilled people in work — the first person I rang was her. ‘I’m so chuffed, duck.’ 

That’s what I’m proudest of this government for, too: not warm words, but backing an industry that places like ours are built on. There’s more to do — energy costs are still hurting our firms, and I won’t stop pushing — but for the first time in years, people in the Potteries can talk about the future of ceramics, not just its past.

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