MP for Houghton and Sunderland South
Minister for Women and Equalities
Bridget Phillipson is the Labour MP for Houghton and Sunderland South, first elected in 2010. She currently serves as Minister for Women and Equalities and, from July 2024, as Secretary of State for Education. Prior to entering government she held senior roles in the Labour frontbench and served on several parliamentary committees.
She shows strong party loyalty (100%) and a voting attendance rate of 55%, higher than Labour’s average. With one rebel vote against the party, her voting record sits on the centre-left (36/100). In key policy areas she generally backs Labour positions on NHS funding and Universal Credit, and opposes stricter immigration controls and the Rwanda deportation scheme, while supporting bus services regulation; her votes on VAT, transgender rights and trade union powers have been more mixed.
Declared financial interests include 13 items in total, consisting of donations and other support for activities as an MP (12 entries) and one miscellaneous entry.
Generated 21 February 2026
18 positions
Minister for Women and Equalities
Since Jul 2024
Secretary of State for Education
Since Jul 2024
Shadow Secretary of State for Education
Nov 2021 - May 2024
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Apr 2020 - Nov 2021
Public Accounts Committee
Mar 2020 - Sept 2020
Committee on Standards
Mar 2020 - May 2020
Committee of Privileges
Mar 2020 - May 2020
Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission
Jan 2020 - May 2020
Based on parliamentary votes
has generally voted against universal credit
has almost always voted against immigration controls
has voted a mixture of ways on bus services regulation
has generally voted against vat changes
has almost always voted against asylum system
has generally voted against transgender rights
has generally voted against trade union powers
has voted a mixture of ways on nhs funding
Referendums Relating to Council Tax Increases (Principles) (England) Report 2026-27
Local Government Finance Report (England) 2026-27
Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) (Extension to Maritime Activities) Order 2026
Draft Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme (Amendment) Order 2026
Universal Credit (Removal of Two Child Limit) Bill: Second Reading