North West · England · 79,978Boundary · 2023

Leigh & Atherton

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Created in the 2023 boundary review, replacing Leigh.

Dispatch
Apr 2026

A new constituency created in the 2023 boundary review. Won by Lab in its first election in 2024. Covers Leigh (Wigan), Golborne and Atherton. Population 96,708. Recorded crime is 100% below the national average. Median income £26K (below average).

One notable break from Labour's line came in January 2026, when Platt voted against the government's revised Medical Devices Fee Regulations -- regulations the government had already softened after industry complaints that original fee hikes would hit small life sciences businesses hardest. That single rebel vote aside, she has otherwise been a near-unanimous party loyalist at 99.7% alignment, including backing the government's position against multiple Lords amendments to both the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill and the Pension Schemes Bill in April 2026. Her local media profile has been active: she intervened publicly during the August 2025 anti-immigration disorder to counter misinformation, formally objected to a local development on environmental grounds, and called for stronger AI regulation after the Grok sexualised images controversy.

At 80% voting participation -- modestly below the Commons average -- Platt is a solid if not high-attendance parliamentarian. She votes strongly in line with Labour on progressive taxation and housing development, but scores notably lower than her party average on welfare expansion, public services funding, and parliamentary scrutiny, and sits at 0% on pro-Lords-scrutiny votes. She is 22 percentage points more aligned with public health positions than the average Labour MP, which may reflect her 99 contributions across 72 debates, with economy and jobs, local government, social care, and health dominating her speech activity.

392
Commons votes
This parliament
£26k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
80.0k
Electorate
2024 GE

Recorded crime is 100% below the national average.

Current Member of Parliament

Jo Platt

Jo Platt

Labour and Co-operative Party

Jo Platt is the Labour (Co-op) MP for Leigh and Atherton, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.

Notable Votes

MPs voted on whether to approve new fee regulations for medical devices, which update the charges paid by manufacturers to the medicines regulator (MHRA) for market surveillance and approval. The government revised earlier proposals after concerns that original fee increases would disproportionately burden small and medium-sized businesses in the life sciences sector.

MP voted NoAgainst party majorityLikely whipped

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Voting at a Glance

A new constituency created in the 2023 boundary review. Won by Lab in its first election in 2024. Covers Leigh (Wigan), Golborne and Atherton. Population 96,708. Recorded crime is 100% below the national average. Median income £26K (below average).

2024 General Election

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

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

§ 07The record, at a glance.408 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Platt 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
67
Crime & Policing
38
Education
38
Employment
32
Welfare and Benefits
27
Notable votes
Free votes and rebellions — moments the MP’s own judgment matters more than the whip
Draft Medical Devices (Fees Amendment) Regulations 202628 Jan 2026
No
§ 08The local picture.4 wards

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

WardCouncillorVotesParty
Atherton NorthJames Paul Watson1,070Independ
Atherton South LilfordLee Robert McStein1,418Labour P
Leigh Central Higher FoldsFred Walker1,321Labour P
Lowton EastMike Smith2,179Labour P
Population (2021 Census)
96,708
Electorate 79,978 · 2024 register
Median income
£25,900
HMRC SPI 2024
Households renting privately
18.7%
England average 20.0%
Schools
42
32 primary · 5 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.