South Suffolk.

Cartlidge's most visible activity right now is his work as Shadow Defence Secretary, a role that has generated nearly a fifth of his recent news coverage. In March 2026 he published an opinion piece challenging Labour's defence spending record, citing specific proposals -- a Defence Drone Strategy and a Munitions Strategy -- he developed in government. He has also pressed ministers publicly over reports that the Armed Forces minister had not been shown the Defence Investment Plan, framing it as evidence of disorganised defence policy. Away from national security, he has pursued local causes: lobbying the Culture Secretary to route a touring painting exhibition through South Suffolk before Ipswich, and joining a cross-party push for funding on the A137 rail-road crossing.

In the Commons, Cartlidge votes with the Conservative whip 98.9% of the time -- a strong party-line record -- and his 73% participation rate sits a little below the Commons average. Defence and economic policy dominate his speeches, accounting for the large majority of his 235 contributions across 103 debates. His clearest and most consistent deviation from his party is on assisted dying: he backed the Terminally Ill Adults Bill at Second Reading in November 2024, voted for it again at Third Reading in June 2025, and at report stage opposed an amendment that would have let employers block staff from participating in assisted dying -- placing him firmly in the pro-reform camp even as the Conservative majority leaned against.

His stance profile confirms a conventional Conservative pattern on business and crime, but he is notably more aligned with Lords scrutiny than the party average and more supportive of pension protection -- he opposed government powers to direct pension fund investments, arguing the change risked poor returns for savers. No committee roles are currently recorded, so his main platform is the chamber itself and, increasingly, his shadow ministerial brief.