Leeds Central & Headingley / data
Alex Sobel · Labour and Co-operative Party · sitting since 08 Jun 2017 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
3243days
from 08 Jun 2017
Divisions
321
of 504 possible
Attendance
64%
183 absent / paired
Whip alignment
98%
vs party majority
Speeches
113
85 debates
Written Qs
227
224 answered
Committees
0
memberships
Expenses
£333k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 144 claims
Interests
10
3 categories
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 73 | |
| Economy | 57 | |
| Employment | 37 | |
| Crime & Policing | 30 | |
| Education | 29 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 22 | |
| Housing | 22 | |
| Defence and Foreign Affairs | 18 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Defence | 36 | 11,552 |
| Economy Jobs | 38 | 9,688 |
| Culture Community | 22 | 8,735 |
| Crime | 14 | 5,501 |
| Social Care | 16 | 4,716 |
| Health | 11 | 3,725 |
| Energy | 11 | 3,063 |
| Immigration | 12 | 2,784 |
B · Notable divisions
Free votes, rebellions and high-salience whipped votes — the moments that distinguish this MP from the party machine. The full division-by-division record will follow once the per-MP archive is wired.
| Date | Division | Whip | MP voted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09 Jul 2025 | Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill Committee: Amendment 38Vote on Amendment 38 to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which would have provided greater certainty and protect… | Rebelled | Aye |
| 09 Jul 2025 | Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill Committee: New Clause 8Vote on a technical amendment (New Clause 8) to ensure that Universal Credit payments for claimants in the Limited Capability for Work and W… | Rebelled | Aye |
| 13 Jun 2025 | Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: New Clause 1Vote on New Clause 1 to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a private member's bill on assisted dying. Based on available debate c… | Free vote | Aye |
C · Speeches
| Date | Contribution | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Apr 2026 | Grassroots Music VenuesI refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. On 19 November, the Secretary of State made the welcome announcement that we would end the abuse of t… Culture CommunityLocal GovernmentEconomy Jobs | 79 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Crime and Policing BillI want to raise the systemic issue of honour-based abuse. The perpetrator is usually not just one person; they are a family, a group or a network of people who believe that an indi… CrimeTechnologyCulture Community | 153 |
| 25 Mar 2026 | Foreign Financial Influence and Interference: UK PoliticsI thank Philip Rycroft for meeting me in my position as chair of the fair elections APPG and for including some of my points and evidence in this excellent review. I also thank the… Fiscal PolicyDefenceTechnology | 147 |
| 23 Mar 2026 | Puberty Blockers Clinical TrialMany of my constituents have spoken or written to me because they are anxious about the pausing of the trial. In the words of one of my constituents, “to be a true ally you must su… Health | 368 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Student LoansI have read the motion and the amendment. Students today are on a new loan—the plan 5 loan—and Conservative Members have completely forgotten current students. The Government amend… EducationEconomy JobsFiscal Policy | 70 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Social Enterprises and Community OwnershipI thank my fellow Co-operative MP, my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh and Atherton (Jo Platt), for introducing the debate. She served admirably in the social enterprise sector whi… Economy JobsLocal GovernmentCulture Community | 334 |
| 09 Mar 2026 | Immigration PolicyIn response to the urgent question, the Minister did not mention the announcement last week that people from four countries—Sudan, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Cameroon—will no longer … Immigration | 156 |
| 05 Mar 2026 | Energy MarketsOne of the first lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war, and now from the war in the middle east, is that oil refineries and fossil fuel infrastructure are primary targets and that en… EnergyCost Of LivingEconomy Jobs | 115 |
| 09 Feb 2026 | Russian Influence on UK Politics and DemocracyI thank my hon. Friend the Member for South Norfolk (Ben Goldsborough) for his excellent opening speech. I agree with the statement in the petition, which 168 of my constituents si… DefenceCrimeTechnology | 1,055 |
| 09 Feb 2026 | Jimmy Lai: Prison SentenceThe Government have been pretty generous to the Chinese Government—first the embassy, then the Prime Minister’s visit to China and trade concessions. In return, the Chinese Governm… DefenceCulture Community | 61 |
| 02 Feb 2026 | Indefinite Leave to RemainMany people in my constituency who are on the skilled worker visa programme have written to me. They are being told, if they are already on a five-year programme, that it will be c… ImmigrationSocial CareHealth | 68 |
| 02 Feb 2026 | China and JapanIt is right that the Prime Minister goes to China if he is acting in the best interests of all those living here. Last year, the Joint Committee on Human Rights undertook an inquir… DefenceEconomy JobsTechnology | 114 |
| 29 Jan 2026 | Holocaust Memorial DayThe hon. Member is making an excellent speech. This Sunday, I went to our Holocaust Memorial Day event in Leeds and met Trude Silman, my former constituent from when I was a counci… Culture Community | 126 |
| 29 Jan 2026 | Ukraine: Non-recognition of Russian-occupied TerritoriesWe had almost absolute unanimity; I think this is the most unanimous debate that I have taken part in during my time as a Member. Nearly every Member who contributed to it has been… DefenceCulture Community | 436 |
| 29 Jan 2026 | Ukraine: Non-recognition of Russian-occupied TerritoriesI beg to move, That this House has considered the matter of non-recognition of Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. Today is 1,435 days since Russia launched its full-scale inv… DefenceCulture Community | 609 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Health and Social Care | 38 | 16.7% |
| Home Office | 35 | 15.4% |
| Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | 30 | 13.2% |
| Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | 23 | 10.1% |
| Department for Culture, Media and Sport | 16 | 7.0% |
| Department for Work and Pensions | 16 | 7.0% |
| Department for Education | 14 | 6.2% |
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 14 | 6.2% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr 2026 | Department for Work and Pensions | To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department plans to issue to employers on obligations under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 following the High Court judgment in Good Law Pro… | Pending |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Women and Equalities | To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department is taking to ensure trans workers are not discriminated against on grounds of gender reassignment in the context of the High Court judgment in Good Law Project v EHRC [… | Pending |
| 13 Apr 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that the enrichment entitlement is received by young people in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps her Department taking to support the inclusion of Syrian youth and women in post-conflict reconstruction and decision-making processes, i… | Pending |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what analysis his Department has undertaken of the potential impacts of co-locating WECCS (waste-energy carbon capture and storage) with EfW (energy-from-waste) plants on regio… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact for her policies of reports of the killing of five West Papuan civilians by Indonesian police in Dogiyai R… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress the Government has made in 2026 to date on incorporating permanent greenhouse-gas removals into the Sustainable Aviation Fuel mandate. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has considered extending the validity period of theory test certificates for Approved Driving Instructor candidates whose certificates are at risk of expiring before they c… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Culture, Media and Sport | To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what Government support is available to young people in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency seeking careers in i) theatre and ii) the television and film sector. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce waiting times for Approved Driving Instructor Part 2 and Part 3 tests. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Culture, Media and Sport | To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support employment opportunities in i) theatre, and ii) the television and film sector, in Leeds Central and Headingley constituency. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the level of technical maturity and commercial readiness of WECCS (waste-energy carbon capture and storage) at EfW (e… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to ADE's Electricity System Benefits of Heat Networks research paper, whether he has made an assessment of the value for money of the Department’s target for ind… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government is taking steps to implement the recommendations of the Whitehead Review, including formally recognising WECCS (waste-energy carbon capture and storage)… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to ADE's Electricity System Benefits of Heat Networks research paper, whether he is taking steps to reform planning arrangements to capture potential £1.2 billio… | Answered |
E · Committees
No committee memberships recorded for this MP.
F · Expenses
Every business-cost claim reimbursed by IPSA in the current financial year, grouped by category. “Aggregated” rows are IPSA’s own year-end totals for cost types like payroll and rent that aren’t itemised claim-by-claim.
Category breakdown
| Category | Claims | Paid (£) | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Costs | 106 | 33,698 | 10.1% |
| Staffing | 11 | 236,900 | 71.2% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 8,596 | 2.6% |
| Accommodation | 0 | 36,007 | 10.8% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 17,366 | 5.2% |
| Dependant Travel | 0 | 68 | 0.0% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bought-in services | Staffing | 9 | 9,600 |
| Pooled staffing services | Office Costs | 1 | 4,600 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 21 | 2,479 |
| Equipment - purchase | Office Costs | 24 | 2,006 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 15 | 1,923 |
| Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Office Costs | 6 | 1,102 |
| Mobile telephone - equipment purchase | Office Costs | 12 | 375 |
| Insurance - buildings | Office Costs | 2 | 301 |
| Cleaning services | Office Costs | 3 | 296 |
| Hospitality | Office Costs | 3 | 222 |
| TV licence | Office Costs | 1 | 170 |
| Recruitment Services &Costs | Office Costs | 1 | 156 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Other office equipment | 23 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | SENDINBLUE [200011725-8922] | 46 | Paid |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Subletting | Sublet Rent | 0 | Repaid |
| 17 Mar 2025 | Staffing Bought-in services | Comms & Media | 1,200 | Paid |
| 13 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Hospitality | AMAZON [***] [200011725-4040] | 25 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | AMAZON [***] [200011725-4787] | 165 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Hospitality | AMAZON [***] [200011725-4484] | 132 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Sundries | 101 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | AMAZON [***] [200011725-4786] | 34 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Sundries | 24 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Computer, laptop, PC, tablet & accessories | 22 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | WWW.AMAZON. [***] [200011725-4785] | 5 | Paid |
| 03 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Subletting | Sublet Rent | 0 | Repaid |
| 01 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Other office equipment | 43 | Paid |
| 28 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline | 226 | Paid |
| 26 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Other office equipment | 253 | Paid |
| 20 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Software & applications | SENDINBLUE | 46 | Paid |
| 18 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Mobile telephone - equipment purchase | Mobile Handset Feb Payment | 31 | Paid |
| 17 Feb 2025 | Staffing Bought-in services | Comms & Media | 1,200 | Paid |
| 13 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Advertising and contact cards | CANVA [***] | 112 | Paid |
G · Register of interests
Every financial interest declared by the MP, grouped under the Register’s official categories. Retracted entries are hidden but counted above.
3. Gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources4 entries
14 Apr 2026
Name of donor: Leeds United FC
Address of donor: Elland Rd, Leeds LS11 0ES
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Ticket for Leeds Utd v Brentford match, value £340
Date received: 20 March 2026
Date accepted: 20 March 2026
Donor status: company, registration 06233875
(Registered 12 April 2026)
24 Mar 2026
Name of donor: BPI
Address of donor: Unit 4/4a, Tileyard Studios, Tileyard Road, London N7 9AH
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: two tickets and hospitality for the Brit Awards at Co-op Live, Manchester, value £3,432
Date received: 28 February 2026
Date accepted: 28 February 2026
Donor status: company, registration 01132389
(Registered 15 March 2026)
04 Nov 2025
Name of donor: BPI
Address of donor: Unit 4/4a, Tileyard Studios, Tileyard Road, London N7 9AH
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: 2 floor tickets and dinner for the Mercury Music Prize at the Utilita Arena, Newcastle, value £660
Date received: 16 October 2025 to 16 October 2025
Date accepted: 16 October 2025
Donor status: company, registration 01132389
(Registered 22 October 2025)
15 Jul 2025
Name of donor: Knights Tailoring Ltd
Address of donor: 5 Station Road, Tidworth SP9 7NN
Amount of donation or nature and value if donation in kind: Two tickets for the National Film Awards to support the Ukrainian documentary 'We are Home' that won Best Documentary. Hospitality included drinks but no food, value £750
Date received: 2 July 2025 to 2 July 2025
Date accepted: 2 July 2025
Donor status: company, registration 07036550
(Registered 6 July 2025)
4. Visits outside the UK1 entry
29 Apr 2025
Name of donor: World Forum
Address of donor: Reinhardtstr. 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
Estimate of the probable value (or amount of any donation): Meals, value £146
Destination of visit: Germany (Berlin)
Dates of visit: 17 March 2025 to 19 March 2025
Purpose of visit: Speaker at the World Forum 2025
(Registered 17 April 2025)
8. Miscellaneous5 entries
02 Dec 2025
Member of Executive Committee of the British Group of the Inter Parliamentary Union
Date interest arose: 26 November 2025
(Registered 28 November 2025)
18 Nov 2025
Trustee of Leeds International Aid Fund. This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 30 October 2025
(Registered 6 November 2025)
04 Nov 2025
Vice Chair of the Climate and Nature Crisis Caucus. This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 15 July 2025
(Registered 11 September 2025)
18 Apr 2024
A visiting Parliamentary Fellow at St Anthonys College, Oxford. This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 4 December 2023
(Registered 14 March 2024)
18 Apr 2024
A director (unpaid) of Transform Labour Ltd (formally Transform Europe (Campaign) Ltd). This is a dormant company, limited by guarantee, which applied for dissolution on 28 June 2023.
Date interest arose: 2 July 2019
(Registered 28 July 2023)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 4 wards, 4 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headingley Hyde Park | Tim Goodall | Green Party of England and Wales | 2,668 | 02 May 2024 |
| Kirkstall | Fiona Elizabeth Venner | Labour Party | 3,451 | 02 May 2024 |
| Little London Woodhouse | Javaid Akhtar | Labour Party | 2,194 | 02 May 2024 |
| Weetwood | Emma Flint | Labour Party | 3,337 | 02 May 2024 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 110,189 | Electorate 70,554 (2024) |
| Median age | 24 | years |
| Degree-educated | 40.4% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 71.4% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 33.3% | households |
| Private-rented | 44.9% | households |
| Social-rented | 21.6% | households |
| Employment rate | 46.5% | 16-64 in work |
J · Public spending
HMT publishes headline spending identifiable by region in PESA. Constituency-level capital allocations (Levelling-Up Fund, Towns Fund, UKSPF, transport capital, BEIS R&D) are published as separate departmental datasets. We are evaluating the cleanest reconciliation for a per-constituency view.