New MPs: after learning the ropes, they might shake up the House of Commons

A Labour landslide brings an influx of new MPs – and the potential for a seismic shift in the House of Commons. New MPs are likely to aspire for change in the Commons, an unequal environment that has seen numerous scandals and an attack on the expected standards of the institution in recent years.

This change may take time, though. When a new MP wins a seat, they are usually exhausted after weeks of campaigning. They need to learn how to be parliamentarians, either supporting or opposing the government depending on party membership. They also have to hone their skills as communicators, whether in speeches, digitally or through interviews.

On top of this, they have to learn about the culture of the House of Commons – its conventions and rules of procedure. They will have to discover their way to and around Westminster. Crucially, they will have to start building relationships, figuring out who to agree with and, very differently, who to trust.

The House of Commons provides training courses for new MPs, but for immediate practical assistance in navigating the immensely complex maze of rules, norms and expectations, they are also given a “buddy”. This parliamentary official answers the new MPs’ questions or directs them to someone who can advise.

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For most new MPs, these first days are a mix of alarm, mystery and excitement. They will be inundated with a tsunami of requests for meetings, actions and help. One MP who took up the role in 2010 calculated that he received nearly 40,000 pieces of communication in his first ten months on the job.

Learning the ropes will consume new MPs’ time for months, if not years. But long before they feel they belong, whether uncomfortably or comfortably, they need to turn their attention to their political causes, advancing their career and, in a few cases, trying to change parliament.

Bringing change

Those most strongly motivated to change the House of Commons are typically those on the receiving end of most abuse and least respect within Parliament: women, people of colour, disabled people, those under 30, and working-class MPs.

Unsurprisingly, the same inequalities in society show up in the House of Commons. Mhairi Black, who was elected as a Scottish Nationalist Party MP in 2015 and who stood down at the 2024 election, has been vocal about her horror of the Commons’ “toxic environment” – not only its sexism but its inefficient systems and lengthy waiting times.

But persuading the house to agree to change is not easy, because the majority value the current arrangements. For example, they have the opportunity to do politics while waiting to vote in the chamber: find out what is going on, do deals, ask a minister to act on behalf of a constituency. Since much of this goes on within parties, the larger the party they are in, the happier MPs are likely to be with the status quo.

Since 2010, new MPs have largely been Conservatives with limited interest in parliamentary reform. After the 2009 expenses scandal, the House of Commons introduced various reforms, so new Conservative MPs worried less about changing the house and focused on trying to learn the system and get onto the frontbench.

The post-2015 and -2017 parliaments had enough on their plate trying to cope with Brexit. And since the 2019 elections, the two main parties have been grappling with significant internal conflicts, so the challenge to parliamentary culture has been mild.

New cultures

The 2024 election will bring something different. After 14 years of Conservative government, the UK’s administration will now be overseen by Labour ministers, influenced by their own backbench MPs. The culture of the House of Commons will abruptly be remade by a huge Labour majority and an increase in Liberal Democrats.

The impact of the huge influx of new MPs in this general election could be rather like a merger of several organisations, with an inevitable clash of cultures leading to misunderstandings and tension over what should change.

New Labour backbench MPs may struggle to wield influence. The leadership will worry that increased backbench power could create the appearance of chaos. The more established MPs may worry that that the new ones don’t yet fully understand the complex trade-offs involved in parliamentary politics.

In addition, new MPs may be horrified by the combative nature of the Commons in its more public rituals of debate, and by the abuse they receive from the public. New and creative ideas are needed to solve both these problems – but they are difficult to push for when abuse and a fractious workplace culture may sap MPs of their energy and equanimity.

Crucially, new MPs will need to inject an appropriate mix of courage and care into politics. To deal with the incredible challenges of our time – especially the climate emergency, cost of living crisis and global conflicts – and to rebuild trust with the electorate, political leadership surely requires negotiated solutions that recognise how unpredictable the world is, and how fragile our relationships have become.

Emma Crewe receives funding from European Research Council and the Arts and Humanities Research Council.