‘Baby of the House’ officially takes his seat as an MP in the Commons
The so-called Baby of the House has officially taken his seat as an MP in the Commons, on the second day of swearing in.
Labour MP Sam Carling, who represents North West Cambridgeshire, is the youngest member of the new Parliament at 22.
MPs started the process of making an oath or affirmation of allegiance to the Crown on Tuesday.
A great first couple of days in Westminster meeting new colleagues and getting to grips with the place. See if you can spot me in this lovely photo! https://t.co/PqpLAU4XyT
— Sam Carling MP🌹 (@sam_carling_) July 8, 2024
The allegiance is a legal requirement and MPs are not allowed to speak in debates, vote or receive their salary until they do so. The same applies to peers in the House of Lords.
Mr Carling was directly followed by Reform UK MP Lee Anderson, who was sworn in for the first time under the Reform banner after previously being elected as a Conservative MP.
Mr Anderson, MP for Ashfield, was joined by Reform colleagues Richard Tice, MP for Boston and Skegness, and Rupert Lowe, MP for Great Yarmouth.
Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling also took his seat in the Commons on Wednesday as he was sworn in alongside his guide dog Jennie.
The MP for Torbay, who is registered blind, opted to take the oath, and Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said “hello” to Jennie the golden retriever before kneeling down to pet her.
Mr Darling was followed by disability activist and Labour MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, Dr Marie Tidball, and Conservative MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, Alison Griffiths.
Ms Griffiths lost 70% of her hearing after contracting bacterial meningitis at university.
The doors to the Commons were closed and the queue held while the three disabled MPs were sworn in.
All four Plaid Cymru MPs and the four Green Party MPs were also sworn in earlier on Wednesday.
Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville Roberts, Llinos Medi, Ann Davies and Ben Lake chose to take the oath and pledged their allegiance to the Crown in Welsh.
Elsewhere in the session, Labour MP Clive Lewis (Norwich South) said before his affirmation: “I take this oath under protest and in the hope that one day my fellow citizens will democratically decide to live in a republic.”
