East of England · England · 72,478Boundary · 2023

Bedford

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Dispatch
Apr 2026

A safe Lab seat, won with 45% of the vote in 2024. Covers Bedford and Kempston. Population 110,581.

Bedford's MP broke with his party on welfare in one of Labour's most contentious parliamentary moments this year. On 9 July 2025, Mohammad Yasin voted against the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill at both committee and third reading stages, defying the Labour whip alongside a significant but minority group of Labour rebels. He also backed Amendment 38, which would have given greater protections to disabled people with fluctuating conditions while the government's PIP review is ongoing -- a stance that put him 59 percentage points above his party average on disability benefits protection. He also voted against the assisted dying bill at third reading in June 2025, and against a Crime and Policing Bill clause covering measures including begging offences and new criminal concealment charges. Outside the chamber, he has been a vocal opponent of East West Rail demolition plans affecting Bedford homes, submitting expert evidence and publicly challenging the consultation process.

At 82% voting participation and 98.5% party alignment, Yasin is broadly a reliable Labour vote -- but his deviations are telling. He sits well below the Labour average on welfare reform support and is notably more resistant to benefit cuts than most of his colleagues. His speech activity spans social care, the economy, defence, health and education across 81 contributions in 60 debates, suggesting a broad rather than narrowly specialised parliamentary focus. He scores low on pro-business and tough-on-crime measures, and has consistently backed the government in overriding Lords amendments.

399
Commons votes
This parliament
£28k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
72.5k
Electorate
2024 GE

Current Member of Parliament

Mohammad Yasin

Mohammad Yasin

Labour Party

Mohammad Yasin is the Labour MP for Bedford, and has been an MP continually since 8 June 2017.

Notable Votes

Vote on whether Clauses 2 and 3 of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill should remain part of the Bill. These clauses relate to changes to Universal Credit and PIP eligibility or rates, with the vote determining whether the government's welfare reform proposals proceed through committee stage.

MP voted NoAgainst party majorityLikely whipped

MPs voted on whether to pass the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill at its final stage in the Commons. The Bill makes changes to welfare benefits, including a gradual increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance, and had been debated at length including proposed amendments to speed up or expand those increases.

MP voted NoAgainst party majorityLikely whipped

Vote on Amendment 38 to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which would have provided greater certainty and protections for disabled people with fluctuating conditions while the government's review of PIP assessments (the Timms review) is ongoing. Critics argued the Bill was putting cuts before the review, leaving vulnerable people uncertain about their entitlements.

MP voted YesAgainst party majorityLikely whipped

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Voting at a Glance

A safe Lab seat, won with 45% of the vote in 2024. Covers Bedford and Kempston. Population 110,581.

2024 General Election

§ 06This week in Westminster.Live · today’s sittingOrder Paper · refreshed daily

Yasin’s scheduled Commons activity this week — whipped divisions, oral questions, debates — drawn from the House of Commons Order Paper.

§ 07The record, at a glance.413 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Yasin has cast the most ballots — a proxy for engagement, not direction. Notable votes are the moments where the whip was free or where they broke ranks.

Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted · cumulative this Parliament
Taxation
91
Economy
87
Employment
48
Crime & Policing
40
Education
35
Constitution and Democracy
26
Notable votes
Free votes and rebellions — moments the MP’s own judgment matters more than the whip
Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill Committee: Clause 2, as amended, and Clause 3 stand part09 Jul 2025
No
Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill: Third Reading09 Jul 2025
No
Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill Committee: Amendment 3809 Jul 2025
Aye
§ 08The local picture.10 wards

Constituencies are not uniform. Below — the local council make-up, key facts worth knowing, and the neighbouring seats on either side.

WardCouncillorVotesParty
Castle NewnhamLucy Bywater1,689Green Pa
Castle NewnhamPaul Richard Edmonds1,157Green Pa
De ParysDavid Sawyer968Liberal
De ParysHenry Vann1,044Liberal
GoldingtonChristine McHugh729Liberal
GoldingtonTim Caswell792Liberal
GreyfriarsBen Foley274Green Pa
Kempston Central EastCaroline Lisa White875Labour P
Kempston Central EastMohammed Nawaz907Labour P
Kempston NorthSue Oliver665Labour P
Kempston SouthCarl Rex Meader902Labour P
KingsbrookDean Crofts879Liberal
Population (2021 Census)
110,581
Electorate 72,478 · 2024 register
Median income
£27,500
HMRC SPI 2024
Households renting privately
24.5%
England average 20.0%
Schools
44
22 primary · 8 secondary
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