North East · England · 70,583Boundary · 2023

City of Durham

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Dispatch
Apr 2026

A safe Lab seat, won with 47% of the vote in 2024. Covers Durham, Brandon (County Durham) and Willington (County Durham). Population 98,493. Median income £25K (below average).

One of Labour's more rebellious backbenchers right now, Mary Kelly Foy has broken with her party on several significant votes -- opposing the tuition fee rise, voting against expanded protest criminalisation powers, and most notably defying the whip twice on the government's welfare reform bill, siding with left-wing rebels to block cuts to disability and incapacity benefits. She also voted against accepting Lords amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill. Beyond the division lobbies, she has been visible on constituency issues: securing government engagement on Maya's Law child safeguarding reform and raising Durham's SEND crisis at Prime Minister's Questions, with the council citing her lobbying in talks over hospital parking problems.

At 69% participation she sits below the Commons average, though constituency casework appears to absorb significant effort. At 92.9% party alignment she is broadly loyal but her deviations are consistent and ideologically coherent -- she votes pro-disability benefits at 100% against a party average of 12%, and scores 88 percentage points above her party on protecting disability benefits. Her speeches cluster around health, local government, economy and jobs, and social care, reflecting Durham's priorities. She scores just 14% on pro-business votes and 25% on tough-on-crime measures.

336
Commons votes
This parliament
£25k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
70.6k
Electorate
2024 GE

Lab held for 5 consecutive elections.

Current Member of Parliament

Mary Kelly Foy

Mary Kelly Foy

Labour Party

Mary Kelly Foy is the Labour MP for City of Durham, and has been an MP continually since 12 December 2019.

Notable Votes

MPs voted on whether to accept the remaining Lords amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, a wide-ranging policing and criminal justice bill. This was a package vote covering multiple Lords changes, some of which the government accepted, others it rejected and replaced with alternative provisions, including on civil liberties issues such as freedom of expression and religion.

MP voted NoAgainst party majorityLikely whipped

Vote on regulations to raise university tuition fees in England by 2.71% for 2026-27. The Labour government backed the increase, while opposition MPs (Conservatives) criticised it as an added burden on young people, despite their own party having nearly tripled fees in 2012.

MP voted NoAgainst party majorityLikely whipped

MPs voted on new regulations expanding the Public Order Act 2023 to criminalise interference with key national infrastructure, such as energy, transport, and water systems. This extends powers introduced to tackle disruptive protest tactics used by groups like Just Stop Oil.

MP voted NoAgainst party majorityLikely whipped

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Voting at a Glance

A safe Lab seat, won with 47% of the vote in 2024. Covers Durham, Brandon (County Durham) and Willington (County Durham). Population 98,493. Median income £25K (below average).

2024 General Election

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

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

§ 07The record, at a glance.351 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Foy 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
75
Economy
67
Education
36
Employment
32
Welfare and Benefits
28
Crime & Policing
27
Notable votes
Free votes and rebellions — moments the MP’s own judgment matters more than the whip
Crime and Policing Bill: motion to agree with all remaining Lords Amendments 14 Apr 2026
No
Draft Higher Education (Fee Limits and Fee Limit Condition) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 202618 Mar 2026
No
Draft Public Order Act 2023 (Interference With Use or Operation of Key National Infrastructure) Regulations 202514 Jan 2026
No
§ 08The local picture.6 wards

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

WardCouncillorVotesParty
Durham SouthDavid Stoker392Liberal
Elvet GilesgateDavid Robert Freeman870Liberal
Elvet GilesgateRichard Daniel Ormerod864Liberal
Esh Witton GilbertArnie Simpson1,247Liberal
Esh Witton GilbertBev Coult1,406Liberal
Framwellgate Newton HallAmanda Jayne Hopgood2,591Liberal
Framwellgate Newton HallFrances Mamie Simmons2,096Liberal
Framwellgate Newton HallMark Wilkes2,249Liberal
SherburnBill Kellett1,218Labour P
SherburnDavid Marshall Hall1,312Labour P
Willington HunwickFraser Tinsley1,218Labour P
Willington HunwickOlwyn Gunn1,239Labour P
Population (2021 Census)
98,493
Electorate 70,583 · 2024 register
Median income
£25,200
HMRC SPI 2024
Households renting privately
18.3%
England average 20.0%
Schools
54
38 primary · 6 secondary
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More constituency data is being added, including local issue analysis and historical trends. Learn about our methodology. View data sources & attribution.