Leigh & Atherton / data
Jo Platt · Labour and Co-operative Party · sitting since 04 Jul 2024 · every division, speech and committee appearance.
Since election
659days
from 04 Jul 2024
Divisions
408
of 504 possible
Attendance
81%
96 absent / paired
Whip alignment
100%
vs party majority
Speeches
224
59 debates
Written Qs
198
191 answered
Committees
2
memberships
Expenses
£209k paid
FY 2024–2025 · 146 claims
Interests
2
1 category
A · Overview
Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted — engagement only, not direction.
| Issue | Volume | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Taxation | 91 | |
| Economy | 67 | |
| Crime & Policing | 38 | |
| Education | 38 | |
| Employment | 32 | |
| Welfare and Benefits | 27 | |
| Constitution and Democracy | 24 | |
| Housing | 24 |
Speech topics
Words spoken, by topic. Source: Hansard.
| Topic | Debates | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 1 | — |
| Economy Jobs | 21 | 4,543 |
| Local Government | 15 | 3,587 |
| Social Care | 13 | 3,479 |
| Health | 9 | 2,729 |
| Cost Of Living | 7 | 1,965 |
| Education | 7 | 1,590 |
| Crime | 5 | 973 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Jan 2026 | Draft Medical Devices (Fees Amendment) Regulations 2026MPs voted on whether to approve new fee regulations for medical devices, which update the charges paid by manufacturers to the medicines reg… | Rebelled | No |
C · Speeches
| Date | Contribution | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Apr 2026 | Topical QuestionsT2. Happy St George’s day, Mr Speaker. The covid-19 inquiry exposed how long covid was repeatedly dismissed, despite its lasting impact on nearly 2 million people, including me. Ca… DefenceTechnologyEconomy Jobs | 68 |
| 23 Apr 2026 | Business of the HouseAs Members will know, this week Parliament welcomed Prestur, the wonderful Icelandic horse showcasing the value of animal-assisted and community-based support for neurodivergent pe… Local GovernmentEconomy JobsEnergy | 119 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Culture, Media and Sport Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1764)Going back to the regional boards, there is advice that the regional boards limit local authority and regional authority representation. Do you think that local authorities and reg… | 54 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Culture, Media and Sport Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1764)That was really good to hear with regard to space. Just to declare an interest as well, I was a recipient of Arts Council funding for the organisation that I work for, which create… | 87 |
| 21 Apr 2026 | Culture, Media and Sport Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1764)Going back to Caroline’s question, there are swathes of organisations, as we know, that do not know that funding exists. There is also a risk that existing funding recipients becom… | 57 |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Crime and Policing BillWhen people talk about feeling safe where they live, they are talking not about spreadsheets or crime statistics, but about whether they feel okay walking home at night, whether th… CrimeTechnologyCulture Community | 565 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Social Enterprises and Community OwnershipMy hon. Friend is a great advocate for the co-operative movement, whose birthplace is in his constituency. I absolutely agree with him—there is more the Government can do to suppor… Economy JobsLocal GovernmentCulture Community | 232 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Social Enterprises and Community OwnershipThat is exactly what this debate is about: hearing about initiatives that are thriving all over the country, bringing them together, and creating the support that those organisatio… Economy JobsLocal GovernmentCulture Community | 647 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Social Enterprises and Community OwnershipI spoke very broadly about the value of social enterprise and community ownership, but to hear individual stories from across the country just shows the power that they have and th… Economy JobsLocal GovernmentCulture Community | 73 |
| 18 Mar 2026 | Social Enterprises and Community OwnershipI beg to move, That this House has considered social enterprises and community ownership. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir John. When people make speeches about … Economy JobsLocal GovernmentCulture Community | 392 |
| 17 Mar 2026 | Culture, Media and Sport Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1764)Another issue from my local area is culture being done to us. We get the big institutions coming in from Manchester city centre and taking over theatre space or art space that is p… | 88 |
| 17 Mar 2026 | Culture, Media and Sport Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1764)I want to declare an interest: I was a recipient of Arts Council funding in between being elected. During that time we were identified as coming from an underserved area. I know yo… | 63 |
| 17 Mar 2026 | Culture, Media and Sport Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1764)Absolutely, I agree. I will have to put on record that I have a great local authority that is very engaged in our culture programme. I would just like to go back to that question b… | 150 |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Culture, Media and Sport Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1338)You have just mentioned one aspect there, so what other arguments would you give to Parliament that YouTube should not be included in a similar under-16 social media ban? | 29 |
| 10 Mar 2026 | Culture, Media and Sport Committee — Oral Evidence (HC 1338)But does it concern you that YouTube is being put in that category of other social media? It goes back to your identity crisis—the first question—doesn’t it? | 27 |
D · Written questions
Top departments
| Department | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Health and Social Care | 63 | 31.8% |
| Department for Education | 25 | 12.6% |
| Department for Work and Pensions | 24 | 12.1% |
| Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | 15 | 7.6% |
| Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | 12 | 6.1% |
| Home Office | 11 | 5.6% |
| Department for Business and Trade | 10 | 5.1% |
| Treasury | 9 | 4.5% |
Most recent
| Date | Department | Question | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Apr 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help ensure that individual needs are assessed and met through Specialist Provision Packages. | Pending |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of developing a joint workforce plan with the Department for Health and Social Care to support sustainability of Experts at Hand service. | Pending |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of expanded Integrated Retirement Community provision on NHS and social care expenditure. | Pending |
| 16 Apr 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of children with SEND are out of education. | Pending |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the reuse and retrofitting of existing buildings as a lower carbon alternative to demolition and new build construction. | Pending |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will consider a nationally defined prescribing pathway for ADHD within Right to Choose services. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress he has made on the High Streets Strategy; and whether that strategy will include illicit trade on high streets. | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the need for (a) station upgrades and (b) improved integration between national rail services and devolved transport systems in order to support increas… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what mechanisms her Department has put in place to consult and communicate with the North’s (a) mayoral combined authorities, (b) local authorities and (b) local stakeholders and communities on t… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Department for Transport | To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, to publish her Department’s economic forecast on the impact of Northern Powerhouse Rail and the Liverpool–Manchester Railway on (a) regional productivity, (b) labour market access and (c) job and… | Answered |
| 10 Apr 2026 | Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of illegal trade on high streets and communities. | Answered |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has considered moving from a term-time funding model to a year-round model for early years entitlements. | Answered |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Department for Education | To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve (a) recruitment, (b) retention, (c) career progression and (d) workload in the early years workforce. | Answered |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Treasury | To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reducing VAT on the repair, maintenance and retrofit of existing buildings on (a) the viability of bringing older high-street and town-centre bu… | Answered |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Department of Health and Social Care | To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to outline what interim arrangements will be put in place to ensure care and support for people with very severe ME, following the decision to pause development of a national special… | Answered |
E · Committees
| Committee | Role | House | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culture, Media and Sport CommitteeSelect | Member | Commons | 21 Oct 2024 | present |
| Modernisation CommitteeSelect | Member | Commons | 09 Sept 2024 | present |
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 | 112 | 29,858 | 14.3% |
| Accommodation | 16 | 16,141 | 7.7% |
| Staffing | 10 | 149,263 | 71.4% |
| MP Travel | 0 | 9,067 | 4.3% |
| Staff Travel | 0 | 4,597 | 2.2% |
Top itemised cost types
| Cost type | Category | Claims | Paid (£) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | Accommodation | 6 | 10,519 |
| Rent | Office Costs | 9 | 10,080 |
| Training - staff | Staffing | 8 | 8,533 |
| Stationery & printing | Office Costs | 51 | 7,185 |
| Hotel - London | Accommodation | 9 | 4,710 |
| Equipment - purchase | Office Costs | 9 | 3,658 |
| Pooled staffing services | Staffing | 1 | 3,000 |
| Recruitment Services &Costs | Office Costs | 2 | 2,650 |
| Utilities | Office Costs | 12 | 1,705 |
| Software & applications | Office Costs | 6 | 1,556 |
| Maintenance, Redecorations & Repairs | Office Costs | 2 | 1,083 |
| Cleaning services | Office Costs | 10 | 1,021 |
Most recent
| Date | Category | Description | Paid (£) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 May 2025 | Staffing Training - MP | [***] [***] [***] Claim 60280982-1 is a duplicate of 60274554-1 | 0 | Repaid |
| 01 Apr 2025 | Office Costs Rent | Rent | 1,440 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Rent | 2024-25 [***] rent pro-rata | -315 | Paid |
| 31 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Rent | 2024-25 [***] rent pro-rata | -1,440 | Paid |
| 28 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Utilities | Electricity | 199 | Paid |
| 26 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Training - staff | CHILD POVERTY ACTION G [200011725-7811] | 90 | Paid |
| 26 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Training - staff | CHILD POVERTY ACTION G [200011725-7810] | 53 | Paid |
| 21 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | ASK PLATT OFFICE SUPPL [200011725-5887] | 421 | Paid |
| 20 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | ASK PLATT OFFICE SUPPL [200011726-6955] | 1,000 | Paid |
| 14 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Cleaning services | March Cleaning | 92 | Paid |
| 13 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | Street surgery cards x 3000 | 93 | Paid |
| 13 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Utilities | Water | 25 | Paid |
| 12 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Landline phone & internet - rental & usage | Landline & internet package | 99 | Paid |
| 10 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | ASK PLATT OFFICE SUPPL [200011726-3145] | 548 | Paid |
| 06 Mar 2025 | Accommodation Rent | Rent | 2,167 | Paid |
| 05 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Stationery & printing | AMZNMKTPLACE [***] [200011725-3236] | 5 | Paid |
| 04 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Rent | Rent | 1,440 | Paid |
| 04 Mar 2025 | Office Costs Equipment - purchase | Other office equipment | 16 | Paid |
| 28 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Utilities | Electricity | 244 | Paid |
| 26 Feb 2025 | Office Costs Cleaning services | February Window Clean | 7 | 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.
8. Miscellaneous2 entries
16 Aug 2024
Director of Pride In Leigh CIC, an organisation that hosts Pride events in Leigh. This is an unpaid role.
(Registered 31 July 2024)
16 Aug 2024
Co-opted Governor for Elysium Training. This is an unpaid role.
(Registered 31 July 2024)
H · Ward results
Most recent winning councillor in each ward — 4 wards, 4 councillor seats.
| Ward | Councillor | Party | Votes | Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atherton North | James Paul Watson | Independent Network | 1,070 | 02 May 2024 |
| Atherton South Lilford | Lee Robert McStein | Labour Party | 1,418 | 02 May 2024 |
| Leigh Central Higher Folds | Fred Walker | Labour Party | 1,321 | 02 May 2024 |
| Lowton East | Mike Smith | Labour Party | 2,179 | 02 May 2024 |
I · Demographics
| Indicator | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Population (2021 Census) | 96,708 | Electorate 79,978 (2024) |
| Median age | 41 | years |
| Degree-educated | 25.4% | level 4 or above |
| Ethnicity (White) | 94.0% | 2021 Census ethnic group |
| Owner-occupied | 64.3% | households |
| Private-rented | 18.7% | households |
| Social-rented | 16.8% | households |
| Employment rate | 58.1% | 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.