Lab held for 5 consecutive elections.
MP News Approval i
+35
Apsana Begum
Labour PartyApsana Begum is the Labour MP for Poplar and Limehouse, and has been an MP continually since 12 December 2019.
MPs voted on whether to accept the remaining Lords amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, a wide-ranging policing and criminal justice bill. This was a package vote covering multiple Lords changes, some of which the government accepted, others it rejected and replaced with alternative provisions, including on civil liberties issues such as freedom of expression and religion.
Vote on regulations to raise university tuition fees in England by 2.71% for 2026-27. The Labour government backed the increase, while opposition MPs (Conservatives) criticised it as an added burden on young people, despite their own party having nearly tripled fees in 2012.
MPs voted on a Conservative reasoned amendment opposing the Courts and Tribunals Bill at Second Reading. The Bill, introduced by David Lammy, aims to modernise the criminal justice system, but the opposition attempted to block its progress, with concerns raised about the impact on jury trials and the effect on black and minority ethnic defendants.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Poplar and Limehouse has been mixed for Apsana across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“'Two-thirds' of domestic abuse survivors rejected from refuges due to shortages” — The Independent
“Two-thirds of domestic abuse survivors rejected from refuges due to national shortages, report reveals” — Yahoo
Critical coverage
“Hundreds of thousands march against far right in London to be told to vote for Labour” — World Socialist
A safe Lab seat, won with 43% of the vote in 2024. Centred on Tower Hamlets. Population 140,101, notably young (median age 30 vs 41 nationally), highly educated (53% degree-holders), a majority-minority constituency. Recorded crime is 41% above the national average. Median income £40K (above average), 7,040 businesses.
JP Morgan clears final hurdle for Canary Wharf's tallest tower
The Guardian · 7 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£40,400
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£63,800
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
7,040
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
52
26 primary, 5 secondary, 21 other
Total Income Tax▼
£1,240m
from 79,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£5,240
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£15,700
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▼
43.6
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
61.1%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 city — 137,686 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: May 2022
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackwall Cubitt Town | Aspire | Abdul Malik | May 2022 |
| Aspire | Ahmodur Rahman Khan | May 2022 | |
| Aspire | Muhammad Bellal Uddin | May 2022 | |
| Bromley South | Aspire | Bodrul Islam Choudhury | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Shubo Hussain | May 2022 | |
| Canary Wharf | Aspire | Maium Talukdar | May 2022 |
| Aspire | Saied Ahmed | May 2022 | |
| Island Gardens | Labour Party | Mufeedah Bustin | May 2022 |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | Peter Golds | May 2022 | |
| Lansbury | Aspire | Abul Monsur Ohid Ahmed | May 2022 |
| Aspire | Iqbal Hossain | May 2022 | |
| Aspire | Jahed Choudhury | May 2022 | |
| Limehouse | Labour Party | James King | May 2022 |
| Mile End | Labour Party | Leelu Ahmed | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Mohammad Saifur Rahman Chowdhury | May 2022 | |
| Labour Party | Sabina Khan | May 2022 | |
| Poplar | Aspire | Gulam Choudhury | May 2022 |
| St Katharines Wapping | Labour Party | Abdal Ullah | May 2022 |
| Labour Party | Amy Louise Lee | May 2022 |
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 GE | Lab | 18,535 | 43.0% |
| Green | 5,975 | 13.9% | |
| Con | 4,738 | 11.0% | |
| Ind | 4,554 | 10.6% | |
| LD | 4,189 | 9.7% | |
| Ref | 3,403 | 7.9% | |
| WPB | 1,463 | 3.4% | |
| Ind | 194 | 0.5% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2024 GE | Lab | 38,660 | 63.1% |
| Con | 9,756 | 15.9% | |
| LD | 8,832 | 14.4% | |
| Green | 2,159 | 3.5% | |
| Ind | 1,493 | 2.4% | |
| Ind | 376 | 0.6% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2015 GEWon 2010 GE | Lab | 39,558 | 67.3% |
| Con | 11,846 | 20.1% | |
| LD | 3,959 | 6.7% | |
| Ind | 1,477 | 2.5% | |
| Green | 989 | 1.7% | |
| Ind | 849 | 1.4% | |
| Ind | 136 | 0.2% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GEWon 2010 GE | Lab | 29,886 | 58.5% |
| Con | 12,962 | 25.4% | |
| Ind | 3,128 | 6.1% | |
| Green | 2,463 | 4.8% | |
| LD | 2,149 | 4.2% | |
| Ind | 367 | 0.7% | |
| Ind | 89 | 0.2% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Lab | 18,679 | 40.0% |
| Con | 12,649 | 27.1% | |
Won Rochdale By-electionWon Bradford West By-election | Ind | 8,160 | 17.5% |
| LD | 5,209 | 11.2% | |
| Ind | 565 | 1.2% | |
| Ind | 470 | 1.0% | |
| Green | 449 | 1.0% | |
| Ind | 293 | 0.6% | |
| Ind | 167 | 0.4% | |
| Ind | 59 | 0.1% |
Apsana Begum appeared in 1 national article across 2 topics (14 Apr 2026 – 14 Apr 2026)
Mixed (+0.20)Ranked #120 of 286 MPs mentioned in national coverage
Vocally opposed protest restrictions as part of broader backbench concern for civil liberties.
20 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
JP Morgan has secured agreement with London City Airport to proceed with a £3bn, 265-metre office tower at Canary Wharf that would be Europe's tallest, pending planning permission. The project is expected to create thousands of jobs and boost the UK economy, though the bank is seeking substantial business rates discounts from the government despite record profits.
The government announces a £1.2m investment to reduce knife crime in schools, including specialist training, mentoring, and chaperones in up to 250 schools across high-risk areas. The scheme uses new hyperlocal mapping technology to identify knife-crime hotspots and will be delivered by the Youth Endowment Fund, with youth hubs also opening in Tower Hamlets and other areas to support young people.
This article investigates knife sales in east London corner shops, focusing on Bethnal Green in Tower Hamlets. It documents an undercover operation where 16-year-old police cadets attempt to buy knives to test retailer compliance, revealing one shop illegally sold a knife while others passed the test. The story highlights that knife crime in Tower Hamlets has dropped 75% and overall teenage homicides have fallen significantly.
The government is launching a £1.2million Safety In and Around Schools scheme to combat knife crime, including deploying chaperones in high-risk schools and opening youth hubs in multiple locations including Tower Hamlets (part of Poplar and Limehouse's broader East London area). The initiative aims to mentor at-risk young people and prevent knife crime through early intervention.
The government is opening eight youth futures hubs across England, including one in Tower Hamlets (Poplar and Limehouse's local authority), to tackle anti-social behaviour and knife crime by providing employment, health, and wellbeing support to young people. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to halve knife crime within a decade and rebuild youth services after over 1,000 closures since 2010.
A Women's Aid report reveals that two-thirds of domestic abuse refuge referrals are being rejected due to national shortages, marking the highest rejection rate in five years despite year-on-year increases in bed spaces. MP Apsana Begum warns the government that without dedicated long-term funding, it cannot meet its promised targets to halve violence against women and girls.
A large anti-far-right march in London was organised by the Together Alliance to encourage voter registration, with four Labour representatives speaking including Apsana Begum. The article criticises the event for directing marchers toward voting Labour while avoiding substantive political discussion of the underlying issues driving far-right support.
Transport for London is trialling new radar-based speed cameras at up to 10 sites across London, including one location in Tower Hamlets (which contains part of Poplar and Limehouse). The trial aims to modernise speed enforcement using advanced 4D radar technology that requires no road sensors, as speeding remains a major factor in around half of London's fatal collisions.
Tower Hamlets Council is promoting plans to redevelop Billingsgate Fish Market and nearby sites (Poplar DLR depot and New City College campus) into up to 10,000 new homes and significant employment space after the market relocates to the Royal Docks in Newham. The redevelopment is framed as a major opportunity to connect Poplar with Canary Wharf and create a new mixed-use neighbourhood.
London has England's highest child poverty rates at 38%, with Tower Hamlets, Hackney, and Newham in east London experiencing the worst outcomes at over 50%. The article examines national child poverty data and the government's strategy to reduce poverty, highlighting housing costs as a key driver of hardship in London.
Mudchute Farm on the Isle of Dogs has secured a 30-year lease from Tower Hamlets Council after a 6,583-person petition campaign, ensuring the future of this beloved community facility. The council also granted long-term leases to the Boundary Estate Community Launderette and Broad Street Amateur Boxing Club, both free community services that faced closure.
PC Jack Taylor from Tower Hamlets is being recognised at the London Police Bravery Awards for his courageous actions in May 2023 when he tackled an armed burglary suspect despite being stabbed. Taylor continued to pursue the knife-wielding suspect and helped apprehend him, demonstrating exceptional bravery in protecting the public.
NEU union members at Brick Lane School in Tower Hamlets are striking over pay inequity, lack of union recognition, and inadequate sick pay for support workers helping children with special educational needs. Support staff earn less than £25,000 while counterparts elsewhere in Tower Hamlets earn over £29,000, and workers report burnout and management lack of support.
Tower Hamlets Council is considering offering JP Morgan Chase a business rates discount to incentivize construction of a new £3 billion UK headquarters at Canary Wharf, which would accommodate 12,000 staff. The council aims to negotiate community benefits including jobs and training opportunities for local residents as part of the deal.
Iceland supermarket in Poplar was fined £300k by Thames Magistrates' Court for a serious mice infestation discovered in January 2024. Tower Hamlets Council's environmental health officers found evidence of pest activity and forced closure; the store reopened after remedial work and now has a 5-star food hygiene rating.
Tower Hamlets Council launches the 'Dispose Safe' campaign to educate residents about battery fire risks in communal housing, building on the success of its previous 'Charge Safe' campaign that reduced e-bike/scooter fires. The article highlights the particular challenge of battery safety in densely populated, flat-heavy areas and calls for better government support for local recycling infrastructure.
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