East of England · England · 75,457Boundary · 2023

Mid Bedfordshire

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Created in the 2023 boundary review, replacing South West Bedfordshire.

Dispatch
Apr 2026

A marginal seat — won by just 1,321 votes (2.7%) in 2024. Covers Flitwick, Ampthill and Cranfield. Population 89,382. Recorded crime is 64% below the national average.

Elected in July 2024 to represent Mid Bedfordshire -- a seat that had made national headlines over predecessor Nadine Dorries' prolonged absence -- Blake Stephenson has established himself as an active local advocate. His most prominent recent actions include introducing a ten-minute rule bill to ban housebuilding on flood-risk land, championing the approved Universal Studios development near Bedford through sustained ministerial lobbying, and hosting young farmers for a parliamentary debate on the future of agriculture. On 15 April 2026 he voted with his party to defend a series of Lords amendments to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill and the Pension Schemes Bill, backing the upper chamber's resistance to government powers over pension fund investment and opposing forced mergers of smaller pension schemes.

His voting participation sits at 71%, below the Commons average, though this is not unusual for newer MPs still establishing their routines. He is a near-total party-line voter at 99.7%, with just one recorded rebel vote -- supporting a Conservative amendment to the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill in November 2024. His stance profile is strongly pro-business (87%), anti-tax-increase (93%), and tough-on-crime (85%), while sitting notably below his party's average on criminal justice reform (0% versus the Conservative average of 25%) and welfare expansion. His speeches concentrate heavily on economy and jobs, social care, fiscal policy, and local government.

346
Commons votes
This parliament
£33k
Median income
HMRC · 2024
75.5k
Electorate
2024 GE

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§ 06This week in Westminster.Live · today’s sittingOrder Paper · refreshed daily

Stephenson’s scheduled Commons activity this week — whipped divisions, oral questions, debates — drawn from the House of Commons Order Paper.

§ 07The record, at a glance.360 divisions voted

Two readings of the same data. Issue volume shows where Stephenson has cast the most ballots — a proxy for engagement, not direction. Notable votes are the moments where the whip was free or where they broke ranks.

Issue volume
Top issues by total divisions voted · cumulative this Parliament
Taxation
85
Economy
73
Employment
44
Crime & Policing
39
Education
30
Pensions
20
Notable votes
Free votes and rebellions — moments the MP’s own judgment matters more than the whip

No rebellions or free votes recorded yet.

§ 08The local picture.11 wards

Constituencies are not uniform. Below — the local council make-up, key facts worth knowing, and the neighbouring seats on either side.

WardCouncillorVotesParty
AmpthillGary Summerfield1,513Independ
AmpthillMark Andrew Smith1,923Independ
AmpthillSusan Heather Clinch1,330Green Pa
Aspley WoburnJohn Michael Baker1,844Independ
Barton Le Clay SilsoeAnna French882Independ
Barton Le Clay SilsoeLiz Childs879Independ
CauldwellAbu Sultan1,137Labour P
CauldwellFouzia Zamir Atiq1,331Labour P
CauldwellHarish Thapar1,127Labour P
Cranfield Marston MoretaineRobert William Morris984Conserva
Cranfield Marston MoretaineSaverio Bongo1,312Independ
Cranfield Marston MoretaineSue Clark1,406Conserva
Population (2021 Census)
89,382
Electorate 75,457 · 2024 register
Median income
£32,900
HMRC SPI 2024
Households renting privately
11.8%
England average 20.0%
Schools
49
34 primary · 11 secondary
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More constituency data is being added, including local issue analysis and historical trends. Learn about our methodology. View data sources & attribution.