A new constituency created in the 2023 boundary review.
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Jess Asato
Labour PartyJess Asato is the Labour MP for Lowestoft, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.
MPs voted on the Third Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill — the final Commons vote on whether to pass the assisted dying legislation in its amended form. Passing Third Reading sends the Bill to the House of Lords.
A procedural vote on whether to allow New Clause 16 to be formally considered as part of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at Report Stage, after proceedings had been interrupted on 13 June when an objection was raised. The debate excerpts do not reveal the substantive content of New Clause 16.
Vote on an amendment to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill that would prevent someone from qualifying as 'terminally ill' under the Bill solely because they have voluntarily stopped eating and drinking. This matters because without the amendment, a person could potentially use voluntary starvation to meet the terminal illness threshold and access an assisted death.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Lowestoft has been mixed for Jess across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“Delight as new Best Start Family Hub is secured for town” — Eastern Daily Press
Won by Lab in its first election in 2024 by 4.8%. Covers Lowestoft, Beccles and Kessingland. Population 96,163, notably older (median age 47 vs 41 nationally). Median income £26K (below average).
Disruption to continue 'until further notice' after fire guts rail station building
Eastern Daily Press · 9 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£26,000
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£30,700
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
2,495
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
41
27 primary, 6 secondary, 8 other
Total Income Tax▼
£167m
from 45,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,430
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£3,720
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▼
40.3
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
58.4%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 large town, 1 town, 5 villages, rural areas — 94,080 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
19 councillors across 9 wards · Last elections: Jul 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beccles Worlingham | Green Party of England and Wales | Caroline Ann Topping | May 2023 |
| Green Party of England and Wales | Sarah Plummer | May 2023 | |
| Green Party of England and Wales | Sheryl Rumble | May 2023 | |
| Carlton Colville | Conservative and Unionist Party | Letitia Vanessa Smith | Jul 2024 |
| Carlton Whitton | Conservative and Unionist Party | Jamie Myles Starling | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Jenny Ceresa | May 2023 | |
| Gunton St Margarets | Labour Party | George King | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Graham Reginald Parker | May 2023 | |
| Harbour Normanston | Labour Party | Janet Elizabeth Craig | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Keith John Patience | May 2023 | |
| Labour Party | Tess Gandy | May 2023 | |
| Kessingland | Labour Party | Alan Green | May 2023 |
| Kirkley Pakefield | Labour Party | Louise Jane Gooch | May 2023 |
| Labour Party | Malcolm Pitchers | May 2023 | |
| Labour Party | Peter Allen Byatt | May 2023 | |
| Lothingland | Conservative and Unionist Party | Paul Geoffrey Ashdown | May 2023 |
| Oulton Broad | Conservative and Unionist Party | Andrée Marise Diana Gee | May 2023 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Edward Nicholas Maillard Back | May 2023 | |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Keith Gordon Robinson | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lab | 14,464 | 34.6% | |
Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Con | 12,448 | 29.8% |
| Ref | 10,328 | 24.7% | |
| Green | 3,095 | 7.4% | |
| LD | 1,489 | 3.6% |
Jess Asato 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.
13 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
A major fire destroyed a 19th-century building at Oulton Broad North station (which housed an Indian restaurant) overnight, with over 50 firefighters responding. Rail services between Norwich and Lowestoft are experiencing significant disruption, with Lowestoft-bound trains unable to stop at Oulton Broad North platform two until further notice.
A major fire at Oulton Broad North Railway Station near Lowestoft caused significant disruption to train services between Norwich-Lowestoft and Ipswich-Lowestoft on Thursday morning. Emergency services from Suffolk and Norfolk responded, bringing the fire under control by 6am, but services were cancelled and diverted throughout the day.
A major fire at Oulton Broad North Railway Station destroyed a platform restaurant, forcing train cancellations across services between Lowestoft, Norwich, and Ipswich for several hours. The incident disrupted commuter travel across two counties, though emergency services successfully contained the blaze and alternative bus services were arranged.
A major fire at Oulton Broad North railway station in Suffolk caused significant disruption to rail services on Thursday morning, with Greater Anglia offering alternative bus routes between Lowestoft, Norwich, and Great Yarmouth. The incident directly affects transport connectivity for Lowestoft commuters and passengers.
A major fire broke out at Oulton Broad North Railway Station in Suffolk early Thursday morning, destroying a restaurant on the platform and causing significant disruption to rail services. Fire crews from Lowestoft and Norfolk worked through the night to extinguish the blaze, with rail services suspended and commuters diverted to bus routes until repairs can be made.
A major fire broke out at Oulton Broad North Railway Station in Suffolk early this morning, destroying a restaurant on the platform and forcing the closure of rail lines between Ipswich-Lowestoft and Norwich-Lowestoft. Train services were cancelled and disrupted until around 10am, affecting constituents' transport connectivity.
Waterlane Leisure Centre in Lowestoft is seeking approval to install solar panels and air source heat pumps as part of energy efficiency improvements and decarbonisation efforts. The East Suffolk Council planning committee is set to vote on the proposals on April 14, with the scheme recommended for approval.
A Lowestoft man was sentenced for assaulting his partner at their home in February, including throwing a glass, kicking, punching, and biting her. The victim, who barricaded herself in a bathroom with a knife, subsequently developed PTSD and attempted suicide following the attack.
A series of scrap metal thefts have targeted homes and businesses in Lowestoft, with incidents reported on Magdalen Close, Cambrian Crescent in Oulton, and Elm Tree Road West. Police are urging residents to secure valuables and are seeking witnesses to the thefts.
ScottishPower Renewables has unveiled plans for an £8 million offshore wind operations and maintenance base in Lowestoft's PowerPark, expected to create around 100 jobs. The 5000m² facility on Trinity Road will support the East Anglia Three windfarm and is subject to planning approval from East Suffolk Council.
A new veterinary clinic is under construction at Carlton Colville shopping centre in Lowestoft, with steelwork now installed. The project addresses increased demand for veterinary services post-pandemic and was approved by East Suffolk Council despite parking concerns.
The Beccles and District Museum has reopened with a new exhibition celebrating local couple Michael and Sylvia Porter, whose postcard collection and charitable work raised over £122,000 for various causes including the Norfolk Deaf Children's Society. The display features their 1,600 digitised Beccles-related postcards and highlights their contributions to the local community through fundraising and volunteer work.
An 18-year-old Lowestoft resident has appeared in court charged with raping a woman in an alleyway near Arnold Street in the early hours of Easter Sunday. The incident involved the suspect entering a taxi and subsequently assaulting the victim, with police providing support to the victim and encouraging reporting of sexual offences.
A local family-run firm, Randall Group Holdings Ltd, has purchased Ivy House Country Hotel in Oulton Broad near Lowestoft. The new owners plan significant expansion including increasing rooms from 22 to 30, extending opening hours to seven days a week, and modernising facilities with renovations and smart technology.
The Lowestoft RNLI lifeboat Storm Rider successfully rescued a yachtsman whose vessel suffered engine failure off Kessingland, preventing the yacht from grounding on a sandbank. The sailor, who had been at sea for four days from Ramsgate, was towed back to Lowestoft harbour safely.
An 18-year-old Lowestoft man has been charged with rape and sexual assault following an attack on a woman in the early hours of Sunday, 5 April near London Road North. Police arrested the suspect within 12 hours and he has been remanded in custody pending court appearance.
Lowestoft MP Jess Asato has secured a Best Start Family Hub for the town, with Kirkley Family Hub becoming a Best Start hub as part of a government plan to create 1,000 hubs nationwide by 2028. The hub, backed by £240,000 in government funding to Suffolk County Council, will provide integrated support services for families and children, with Asato having actively campaigned for Lowestoft's inclusion given that a third of local children live in poverty.
An 18-year-old Lowestoft resident has been arrested on suspicion of rape following a reported incident near Arnold Street in the town early Sunday morning. A woman in her 20s is receiving specialist support from police.
An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape following an alleged sexual assault on a woman in an alleyway in Lowestoft in the early hours of Sunday morning. Suffolk Police have increased patrols in the area and are appealing for witnesses and CCTV footage.
Police are investigating an alleged rape that occurred in Lowestoft after a woman was assaulted by a man who shared her taxi near the Blues pub. An 18-year-old local man has been arrested and is being questioned at Great Yarmouth Police Investigation Centre.
A PR professional based in Lowestoft, Ann-Marie Doggett, is launching a luxury experience brand called The Magnus Collection focused on high-end hen parties and corporate events across Norfolk and Suffolk. The venture aims to showcase local venues and experiences that currently go undiscovered by visitors seeking activities in the region.
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