Labour and Co-operative Party MP for Harlow.
A perfect party-line voter since entering Parliament in 2024, Chris Vince has cast 472 votes without a single rebellion — one of the most loyally aligned MPs in the Commons. His most recent votes back the government's tightening of asylum support rules, its push to give ministers reserve powers over pension fund investment, and its resistance to Lords amendments on devolution and legacy legislation. He voted against referring Keir Starmer to the Privileges Committee, in line with the Labour majority. His 92% voting participation sits comfortably above the Commons average.
His record shows consistent alignment with workers' rights and progressive taxation, but notably lower scores on parliamentary scrutiny (4%) and Lords oversight (0%), meaning he routinely backs the government against efforts to slow or amend legislation. His stances on assisted dying diverge from Labour's average, sitting around 10 points below party colleagues on both access and safeguards. His 598 speech contributions spread across economy, social care, local government, and defence, and his seat on the Education Committee points to a broader brief. He chairs the APPG on Young Carers — an area where his pre-Parliament background in the sector gives his engagement substance.
Local coverage presents a divided picture. Vince drew criticism in early 2026 for claiming credit for an M&S investment his constituents attributed to the council, and a broader pattern of comments describes him as under-delivering on local promises. More positively, his sustained lobbying to secure the UKHSA facility in Harlow and his fundraising for St Clare Hospice have generated favourable coverage. Average news sentiment over 90 days is effectively neutral at 0.02 across 90 articles, suggesting mixed but not hostile local press.
Chris Vince is the Labour (Co-op) MP for Harlow, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.
Top eight by total divisions voted, this parliament. Volume measures engagement, not direction — see Notable Votes for free-vote moments and rebellions.
Source · The Public Whip · Hansard
Moments where the whip was free, or where Vince broke ranks. Free votes are the truer signal of personal stance.
No rebellions or free votes recorded yet.
Source · Hansard
“Primary schools in Harrow lack adequate road safety measures because current guidance prevents zebra crossings near junctions; the government should review this guidance to protect…”
“Supporting vulnerable older patients in accessing primary care requires tailored solutions beyond digital tools, particularly for elderly patients transferring from acute care.”
“Supports the order and raises the importance of international coordination among other countries in implementing equivalent legislation.”
“Facial recognition technology is innovative and should be deployed lawfully, proportionately, and with accountability as a condition of government contracts.”
Select, joint and other committees Vince currently sits on. Committee work is where much of the line-by-line scrutiny of bills and departments happens, away from the chamber.
| Committee | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|
| City of London (Markets) Bill | Chair | Select |
| City of London (Markets) Bill | Member | Select |
| Cheltenham Borough Council (Markets) Bill | Member | Select |
| Education Committee | Member | Select |
| General Cemetery Bill [HL] | Member | Select |
| Norwich Livestock Market Bill [HL] | Member | Select |
| Backbench Business Committee | Member | Select |
Source · UK Parliament Committees API
Vince chairs a committee — an elected position with real agenda-setting power over what gets scrutinised.
| Department | Qs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Health and Social Care | 5 | 26.3% |
| Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | 3 | 15.8% |
| Ministry of Defence | 2 | 10.5% |
| Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | 1 | 5.3% |
| Home Office | 1 | 5.3% |
| Ministry of Justice | 1 | 5.3% |
| Treasury | 1 | 5.3% |
| Wales Office | 1 | 5.3% |
Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on coordinating the work of the Co-operative Development Unit across Government.
My department is working across Government to deliver our manifesto commitment to double the size of the co-operative and mutuals sector, following the commitment to establish a Co-operatives Development Unit in the Pride in Place Strategy.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of co-operative models on international development.
The Government is modernising its approach to development, moving from donors to investors, from delivering services to supporting systems, from providing grants to utilising our expertise, and from international interventions to supporting…read full →
Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help reduce the number of families in temporary accommodation in Harlow constituency.
We must tackle the root causes of homelessness and move away from a crisis response towards preventing homelessness in the first place to reduce the number of families in temporary accommodation. That’s why our National Plan to End Homeless…read full →
What recent progress the Defending Democracy Taskforce has made on protecting democratic institutions.
The Taskforce is driving forward a whole of government response to the threats to our democratic institutions.Recent progress includes developing new legislation to address the abhorrent harassment and intimidation experienced by elected re…read full →
Manchester Airport group 11 March 2026 |
Trustee of Razed Roof an Inclusive theatre company. This is an unpaid role.
Trustee of Razed Roof an Inclusive theatre company. This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 5 July 2024
Date interest ended: 28 Janua… |
Trustee of Youth Concern Trust. This is an unpaid role.
Trustee of Youth Concern Trust. This is an unpaid role.
Date interest arose: 19 August 2024
(Registered 30 August 2024) |
Member of NEC of the Cooperative Party. This is an unpaid role.
Member of NEC of the Cooperative Party. This is an unpaid role.
(Registered 10 July 2024) |
Source · Members API · Last amended 14 Apr 2026
| Category | £ | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Staffing | 136,925 | 82.6% |
| Office Costs | 25,566 | 15.4% |
| MP Travel | 2,505 | 1.5% |
| Staff Travel | 845 | 0.5% |
| Total · 57 claims | 165,840 | 100% |
Source · IPSA · FY 24_25
| Date | Item | Type | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed 17 Jun | If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 17 June. | Tabled | Prime Minister |
| Thu 18 Jun | To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what steps the Church of England is taking to help support families with the cost of living. | Tabled | Church Commissioners and House of Commons Commission and Public Accounts Commission and Restoration and Renewal Client Board and Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission |
| Year | Constituency | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Harlow | 16,313 | 37.6% | Won |
| 2019 | Hertford and Stortford | 14,092 | 23.4% | Lost |
| 2017 | Chelmsford | 16,953 | 29.8% | Lost |
| 2015 | Chelmsford | 9,482 | 17.6% | Lost |
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris VinceWON | Lab | 16,313 | 37.6 |
Showing the MP’s own row only. Full result table: see Harlow →