Carolyn Harris was born and raised in Swansea, Wales. She was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Swansea East in May 2015.
Since then, Harris has held various frontbench roles, including Shadow Home Office Minister, Shadow Women and Equalities Minister, and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition. In April 2018, she became the first Deputy Leader of Welsh Labour, solidifying her position as a prominent member of the Welsh Labour family in Westminster.
Harris is known for her relentless campaigning on various social issues. She successfully lobbied to reduce the stakes on fixed-odd betting terminals and established a children's funeral fund for bereaved families in memory of her son, Martin, who passed away at the age of eight in 1989.
Her ongoing campaign to raise awareness and support for women experiencing menopause has gained national attention. This follows her 2021 Private Members Bill, which successfully lowered the cost of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women in England.
Harris's work with Menopause Mandate has involved collaborations with celebrities like Davina McCall and Carol Vorderman, placing women's health prominently on the political agenda.
Since her election in 2015, Harris has been dedicated to her constituency, focusing on issues such as food poverty and holiday hunger through her Everybody Deserves campaign. Her efforts have been recognized nationwide, earning her the title of Constituency MP of the Year at the Pagefield awards.
Harris continues to work tirelessly for her constituents, advocating for policies that address their needs and improve their quality of life.
Following an independent boundary review, a new constituency of Neath and Swansea East was formed. Harris, the current MP for Swansea East, has been selected as the Welsh Labour candidate for this new constituency.
Her selection underscores her continued commitment to serving her community and addressing the pressing issues facing her constituents. As Deputy Leader of Welsh Labour, Harris remains a key figure in Welsh politics, championing social justice and equality.
The Labour Party is a prominent political force in the United Kingdom, characterized by its alignment with social democracy and democratic socialism. Situated on the centre-left of the political spectrum, Labour has played a significant role in British politics since its founding in 1900.
Emerging from the trade union movement and socialist parties of the 19th century, it initially served to represent the interests of the working class.
As of the last general election in 2019, Labour holds the position of the Official Opposition in the UK Parliament, having secured the second-largest number of seats. It is the largest party in the Welsh Parliament and the third-largest in the Scottish Parliament.
Internationally, Labour is affiliated with the Party of European Socialists and the Progressive Alliance and holds observer status in the Socialist International.
The Labour Party, under the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer, is focused on restoring economic stability to the UK. They advocate for strict fiscal policies to prevent unnecessary expenditures, promoting transparency and efficiency through new oversight bodies like the Covid Corruption Commissioner and an Office for Value for Money.
Their economic plan is designed to contrast with the perceived instability under the Conservative Party, emphasizing responsible financial management and targeted investments for growth.
Labour criticizes the current government for reducing the UK’s defense capabilities and outlines a plan to revitalize the nation's military resources. The party proposes a comprehensive Strategic Defence and Security Review, supporting the armed forces more robustly, and establishing an Armed Forces Commissioner to ensure the security of the nation and uphold the interests of military personnel.
The party plans a significant overhaul of the UK's immigration and border security systems, aiming to create a more efficient and secure framework. Labour’s strategy includes enhancing the enforcement of border laws, dismantling human trafficking networks, and improving the asylum system to ensure it is both cost-effective and secure.
Labour intends to undertake substantial reforms within the National Health Service (NHS) to address inefficiencies and the backlog caused by Conservative policies. The plan includes investments in healthcare infrastructure such as more MRI and CT scanners, and increasing the number of healthcare professionals to provide better service and care.
Tackling crime and enhancing community safety are central to Labour’s agenda, with plans to increase the police presence and introduce new community policing measures. The party emphasizes preventive strategies, especially focusing on youth crime and the root causes of antisocial behavior, to foster safer communities.
Labour commits to transformative educational reforms to ensure equitable opportunities for all. These reforms include recruiting more teachers, overhauling the curriculum, and investing in school infrastructure to equip students for modern challenges and ensure access to high-quality education and lifelong learning opportunities across the country.
In response to environmental concerns and the energy crisis, Labour advocates for establishing a new publicly-owned clean energy company and expanding renewable energy resources. This initiative aims to reduce dependency on foreign energy, combat climate change, and stimulate economic growth through the creation of sustainable jobs.
The Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, with deputy leader Angela Rayner, and General Secretary David Evans, positions itself as a centre-left party, embodying social democratic and democratic socialist ideologies. Founded in 1900, Labour has grown from its trade union roots to become a major political force in the UK, advocating for social justice, economic reform, and public service enhancement.
The party maintains active branches across the UK, including Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and engages with various international socialist and social democratic groups, reflecting its commitment to broad-based, progressive policies.
Labour advocates for a blend of social democracy and democratic socialism, aiming to balance market economics with social welfare policies. It promotes government intervention in the economy, fair distribution of wealth, and comprehensive public services, including healthcare and education.
The party maintains close ties with the Co-operative Party, with many Labour MPs sitting in Parliament as Labour Co-operative representatives. While it supports the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) in Northern Ireland, Labour continues to organize and maintain a presence there, adapting its strategies to address both local and national issues effectively.
Overall, the Labour Party remains a key player in shaping the political, social, and economic landscape of the United Kingdom, committed to advancing the principles of fairness, equality, and social justice.