Neil O'Brien · Conservative and Unionist Party
East Midlands, England
: 77,075
Created in the 2023 boundary review, replacing Harborough.
A new constituency created in the 2023 boundary review.
MP News Approval i
+55
Neil O'Brien
Conservative and Unionist PartyNeil O'Brien is the Conservative MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, and has been an MP continually since 8 June 2017. He currently undertakes the role of Shadow Minister (Policy Renewal and Development).
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Sign up freeCoverage of Harborough, Oadby and Wigston has been mixed for Neil across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“Light and Life festival will not be returning to Harborough this year” — Harborough Today
“Harborough District Council says Light and Life festival is unlikely to take place this year” — Harborough Today
Won by Con in its first election in 2024 by 4.7%. Covers Wigston, Oadby and Market Harborough. Population 98,639.
Fire breaks out at recycling centre as smoke plumes rise over city - updates
Leicester Mercury · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£28,600
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£39,400
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
4,510
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
42
27 primary, 9 secondary, 6 other
Total Income Tax▼
£354m
from 55,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,890
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£6,380
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
49.3
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
71.0%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 large town, 5 towns, rural areas — 101,347 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
41 councillors across 17 wards · Last elections: May 2023
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glen | Conservative and Unionist Party | James Hallam | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Rani Mahal | May 2023 | |
| Kibworths | Conservative and Unionist Party | Phil King | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Robin Hollick | May 2023 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Simon Christopher Whelband | May 2023 | |
| Lubenham | Liberal Democrats | Jo Asher | May 2023 |
| Market Harborough Great Bowden Arden | Liberal Democrats | Buddy Anderson | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Phil Knowles | May 2023 | |
| Market Harborough Little Bowden | Liberal Democrats | Peter James | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Stuart James Finan | May 2023 | |
| Market Harborough Logan | Liberal Democrats | Barbara Johnson | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Geraldine Whitmore | May 2023 | |
| Market Harborough Welland | Green Party of England and Wales | Darren Woodiwiss | May 2023 |
| Green Party of England and Wales | Lynne Mary Taylor | May 2023 | |
| Green Party of England and Wales | Rose Lillian Forman | May 2023 | |
| Oadby Brocks Hill | Liberal Democrats | Jeffrey Kaufman | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Mohammed Latif Darr | May 2023 | |
| Oadby Grange | Conservative and Unionist Party | Kamal Ghattoraya | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Naveed Alam | May 2023 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Priti Joshi | May 2023 | |
| Oadby St Peters | Liberal Democrats | Ian Keith Ridley | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Jasvir Kaur Chohan | May 2023 | |
| Oadby Uplands | Conservative and Unionist Party | Rupa Joshi | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Samia Zuffar Haq | May 2023 | |
| Oadby Woodlands | Liberal Democrats | Dean Adam Gamble | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Santokh Singh Athwal | May 2023 | |
| South Wigston | Liberal Democrats | Carl Andrew Melvin Walter | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Richard Edward Rue Morris | May 2023 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Rosemarie Helen Adams | May 2023 | |
| Wigston All Saints | Liberal Democrats | Gary Glendon Hunt | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Lee Andrew Bentley | May 2023 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Michael Henry Charlesworth | May 2023 | |
| Wigston Fields | Liberal Democrats | Bill Boulter | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Carl James Richard Martin | May 2023 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Kevin John Loydall | May 2023 | |
| Wigston Meadowcourt | Conservative and Unionist Party | Colin Spencer Gore | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | John Keith Ford | May 2023 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Liz Darling | May 2023 | |
| Wigston St Wolstans | Liberal Democrats | Clare Denise Kozlowski | May 2023 |
| Liberal Democrats | Frank Stephen Broadley | May 2023 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Linda Margaret Broadley | May 2023 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GE | Con | 18,614 | 36.9% |
| Lab | 16,236 | 32.2% | |
| Ref | 6,332 | 12.6% | |
| LD | 4,732 | 9.4% | |
| Green | 4,269 | 8.5% | |
| Ind | 203 | 0.4% |
Neil O'Brien has not appeared in national political news coverage tracked by our system. This is common for backbench MPs who focus on constituency-level work rather than national policy debates.
20 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
A large fire broke out at a recycling centre on Islington Street in Leicester, with smoke affecting the wider area. Crews from Wigston fire station were among those deployed to manage the blaze at the Freemen's Common site.
Farmfoods has opened a new flagship store in Leicester on Aylestone Road, one of its largest locations. The opening comes shortly after the closure of its Bell Street branch in Wigston, which had served the community for over a decade.
Leicestershire drivers, including those in South Wigston, face a petrol crisis with prices rising 15p per litre in three weeks following conflict in Iran. Residents fear panic buying and shortages, with some strategically topping up tanks to ensure access to fuel for essential journeys like hospital appointments.
Neil O'Brien has obtained government data showing the UK spent approximately 1 billion pounds per month in welfare (Universal Credit) to households containing foreign nationals, with claims more than doubling over four years. O'Brien criticises both the pace of migration and welfare spending, arguing the UK's 'soft-touch' welfare state incentivises migration.
Government data obtained by Conservative MP Neil O'Brien reveals that households with at least one foreign national claimed £941 million in Universal Credit benefits in the latest month, more than double the £461 million claimed four years earlier. The article uses this data to argue that migration is placing unsustainable pressure on the welfare system, with several politicians calling for stricter restrictions on migrant access to benefits.
The Light and Life Festival, a Gypsy and Traveller community gathering that attracted 3,000 attendees to Market Harborough Showground last year, will not be returning in 2026. The festival organisers cite logistical reasons for moving to two regional events instead, though serious incidents last year had prompted council concerns and resident complaints.
Market Harborough Building Society donated £1,000 to The Bodie Hodges Foundation, a local child bereavement charity, through its Community Prize Draw. The donation supports the Forever Loved Fund set up by a local family in memory of their son Jim, who received counselling from the charity.
Market Harborough has officially launched its bid for the UK Town of Culture competition, with the submission titled 'The Grand Union' drawing on the town's 800+ years of history. The bid aims to address rural isolation and youth migration through culture-led regeneration, with potential to win £3 million or £250,000 if shortlisted.
The Light and Life Festival, a controversial religious gathering for Travellers held at Market Harborough Showground for three years, will not return in 2026 but may come back in 2027. The festival has attracted criticism over reported crime and anti-social behaviour, with Conservative councillors previously calling for an independent review.
Oadby and Wigston Borough Council rejected a planning application for a children's home in Oadby, citing concerns over potential crime, anti-social behaviour, and noise disturbance. The decision reflects local community concerns about safety and amenities, though a councillor noted the importance of balancing protection of vulnerable groups with resident well-being.
Bakery chain Wrights is opening its first Leicester location at The Stage Services in Wigston on 27 March, marking the company's 23rd store and expansion into new regions. The 2,300 sq ft bakery will offer freshly baked goods, sandwiches, and pizza with a 40-seat dining area.
A driver in his 40s died after his silver Ford Focus struck a railway bridge on the B6047 near Market Harborough in Leicestershire early on Tuesday. Police are investigating the fatal collision and appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage.
A new Wrights bakery is opening in Wigston, Leicestershire, marking the chain's first store in the county. The opening will offer free sausage rolls to the first 100 customers and will provide jobs and local economic activity to the area.
Market Harborough C of E Academy's PTFA has secured funding for two accessible outdoor table tennis tables through Harborough District Council's Ward Improvement Grant, supported by Councillor Dr Paul Bremner. The tables will benefit 400 pupils and provide inclusive active play opportunities for the school and wider community.
Ben Jelley, a 37-year-old from Market Harborough, is running the London Marathon in April to raise £10,000 for Tommy's charity following the deaths of his wife Charlotte and premature son Arthur in 2024. His story highlights the impact of pregnancy complications and baby loss within the local community.
Two tankers' worth of oil were illegally dumped into a drainage ditch on the Ashley Way estate in Market Harborough, creating a hazardous situation with a nauseating smell affecting local residents and wildlife. Contractors are conducting a clean-up operation while the Environment Agency warns the public to avoid the area.
Oadby & Wigston Borough Council issued an apology after an administrative error required £11,000 to be spent reissuing council tax bills that lacked required direct debit wording. The opposition Conservative councillor criticized the Liberal Democrat-led administration for the avoidable mistake during a cost-of-living crisis, while council leadership acknowledged the error and stated corrective measures have been implemented.
The House of Lords approved decriminalization of abortion through birth as part of the Crime and Policing Bill. Neil O'Brien, MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, strongly opposed the measure, calling the vote 'monstrous' and arguing there is no moral difference between a baby before and after birth.
A significant oil spill has polluted a drainage ditch near Simborough Way in Market Harborough, turning 400m of stream black and creating a strong stench affecting nearby residents and dog-walkers. The Environment Agency is managing the clean-up and investigating the source, with local councillors and district council offering support.
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