By Afolabi Samuel Odunayo
In a remarkable turn of events, Labour has unseated the Tories’ 14-year unbroken parliamentary run, with Sam Carling, a 22-year-old Cambridge graduate, defeating political veteran Shailesh Vara by a narrow margin of 39 votes.
The 2024 UK general election has been notable for its unexpected developments, challenging long-held political norms. Carling, an advocate for innovation, was just a toddler when Vara first won his parliamentary seat in 2005.
Now dubbed the ‘baby of the House’ by members of the House of Commons, the new Labour MP’s victory over the seasoned Conservative signals a shift in the political landscape.
“I think a lot of people have only ever been conscious of a Conservative government. I believe we can make significant changes, offer a better alternative, and hopefully engage more young people in politics,” Carling stated.
Describing his victory as a ‘political earthquake,’ Carling emphasized that his role at Westminster is to represent North West Cambridgeshire and to challenge stereotypes about young people in politics.
“I want us to get away from this strange mindset towards younger people’s age. As far as I’m concerned, we’re just the same as anyone else. I just want to get on with the job,” he said.
Carling’s election under the Labour Party banner aims to encourage young people to stand for public office, addressing their fears and hesitations.
It would be recalled that on July 21, 2023, Keir Mather, an Oxford University first-class graduate, first became Labour’s youngest MP at 25 years old by winning the Selby and Ainsty by-election. His victory came when he got 20, 137 majority votes to represent the North Yorkshire constituency.
While Carling is not the first to have trailed the blaze in the UK, the Cambridge science graduate believes his election will inspire young people to see themselves represented in Parliament and local councils, ultimately helping to combat political apathy among the youth.
“They will see themselves represented, both in Parliament and local councils. It will help tackle apathy,” he said.
