By Greg Heffer, Political Correspondent For Mailonline
06:04 21 Jul 2023, up to date 07:36 21 Jul 2023
- Keir Mather will likely be ‘child’ of Commons after successful Selby & Ainsty by-election
Labour’s newest and youngest MP is ready to turn out to be the ‘child’ of the House of Commons after successful an enormous majority within the Selby and Ainsty by-election final night time.
Twenty-five-year-old Keith Mather solely graduated from Oxford University 4 years in the past earlier than touchdown his first job working as a celebration researcher for Wes Streeting, who’s now shadow well being secretary.
But the teenager who was the primary MP to have been born after Tony Blair turned Prime Minister was mocked by Tory Minister Johnny Mercer final night time as ‘a repeat of The Inbetweeners’.
Mr Mercer identified that the History and Politics grad had ‘been at Oxford college greater than he is been in a job’ and warned he mustn’t anticipate a heat welcome from the Conservative benches when he arrives at Westminster.
He additionally instructed the Hull-born politician, who had most just lately been working as a public affairs adviser on the Confederation of British Industry, was ‘inauthentic’, claiming he ‘simply relays Labour strains’.
Mr Mather studied at Oxford college between 2016 and 2019 earlier than spending a yr as a researcher for Mr Streeting.
Asked on Sky News whether or not he was trying ahead to a contemporary injection of youth into the Commons, Mr Mercer mentioned: ‘It’s all the time good to get new individuals in politics.’
But, as he made reference to the cult TV collection, he added: ‘We mustn’t turn out to be a repeat of The Inbetweeners. You’ve received to have individuals who have truly carried out stuff.
‘This man has been at Oxford University greater than he is been in a job. You put a chip in him and he simply relays Labour strains.
‘The downside is individuals have had sufficient of that.
‘They need people who find themselves genuine, individuals who have labored in that constituency, who know what life is like, who perceive what life is prefer to reside, work and lift a household in communities like theirs.
‘So, no, I’m afraid I do not agree with this type of politics – it is precisely why individuals like me did not vote earlier than the 2015 election.
‘Because you’ve got received individuals with nothing to do with the constituency simply dropped in and, put a chip in them, and so they’ll begin parroting Labour Party politics.’
Shortly after being declared the winner in Selby and Ainsty, in North Yorkshire, Mr Mather mentioned he hoped to be ‘a consultant for the ability that younger individuals need to make a distinction’.
Asked about whether or not he may totally perceive voters’ considerations on the age of 25, he mentioned: ‘Well, I’m a taxpayer too, I really feel the pressures like anybody else.’
