Lab regained this seat from Con — last held it in 2010.
Darren Paffey
Labour PartyDarren Paffey is the Labour MP for Southampton Itchen, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.
Vote on whether to prevent someone from qualifying as 'terminally ill' under the assisted dying bill solely because they have chosen to stop eating and drinking. The amendment would close a potential loophole where a person who is not otherwise terminally ill could meet the bill's eligibility criteria by voluntarily starving themselves.
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.
Vote on whether to prevent someone from qualifying as 'terminally ill' under the assisted dying bill solely because they have voluntarily stopped eating and drinking. The amendment aimed to close a potential loophole where a person might use self-starvation to meet the terminal illness criteria they would not otherwise meet.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Southampton Itchen has been predominantly positive for Darren across 39 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“Labour MP rebels against Government in bid to block benefits changes - Daily Echo” — Daily Echo
“MP demands action as residents face another year out of homes - Daily Echo” — Daily Echo
Critical coverage
“Southampton MP 'welcomes' government's SEND reforms amid backlash - Daily Echo” — Daily Echo
Represented by Lab since 2024. Centred on Southampton. Population 110,063, notably young (median age 35 vs 41 nationally). Median income £26K (below average).
Leaseholders living through 'awful, awful story' amid emergency building repairs
Southern Daily Echo · 2 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£25,900
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£31,700
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
3,575
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
37
23 primary, 5 secondary, 9 other
Total Income Tax▼
£228m
from 56,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,490
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£4,070
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▼
38.3
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
49.0%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 city — 110,061 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
7 councillors across 7 wards · Last elections: May 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bargate | Labour Party | Ginnie Lambert | May 2024 |
| Bitterne Park | Labour Party | Gordon John Cooper | May 2024 |
| Harefield | Conservative and Unionist Party | Rob Harwood | May 2024 |
| Peartree | Labour Party | Simon Jonathan Letts | May 2024 |
| Sholing | Conservative and Unionist Party | Jaden William Beaurain | May 2024 |
| Thornhill | Labour Party | Josh Allen | May 2024 |
| Woolston | Conservative and Unionist Party | Rob Stead | May 2024 |
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 | 15,782 | 41.5% | |
| Con | 9,677 | 25.4% | |
| Ref | 6,853 | 18.0% | |
| Green | 2,793 | 7.3% | |
| LD | 2,684 | 7.0% | |
| Ind | 264 | 0.7% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 23,952 | 50.5% |
| Lab | 19,454 | 41.0% | |
Won 2024 GE | LD | 2,503 | 5.3% |
| Green | 1,040 | 2.2% | |
| Ind | 472 | 1.0% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 21,773 | 46.5% |
| Lab | 21,742 | 46.5% | |
| LD | 1,421 | 3.0% | |
| Ind | 1,122 | 2.4% | |
| Green | 725 | 1.6% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GE | Con | 18,656 | 41.7% |
| Lab | 16,340 | 36.5% | |
| Ind | 6,010 | 13.4% | |
| Green | 1,876 | 4.2% | |
| LD | 1,595 | 3.6% | |
| Ind | 233 | 0.5% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lab | 16,326 | 36.8% | |
Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 16,134 | 36.3% |
| LD | 9,256 | 20.8% | |
| Ind | 1,928 | 4.3% | |
| Green | 600 | 1.4% | |
| Ind | 168 | 0.4% |
Darren Paffey 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.
24 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
Darren Paffey MP is hosting a community coffee morning in Bitterne on March 28 to discuss online safety for young people, responding to government proposals for age restrictions and stronger protections. The event addresses a concern frequently raised by Southampton constituents, with survey data showing 90% of respondents want enhanced online protections.
Over 40 residents of Sundowner Court in Southampton Itchen have been displaced from their homes for a year due to fire safety defects, with no return expected for at least another 12 months. MP Darren Paffey has raised the issue in Parliament, criticizing delays in building safety approvals and demanding government action to accelerate remediation work.
Southampton Itchen MP Darren Paffey has publicly welcomed the government's controversial SEND education reforms, which propose restricting Education, Health and Care Plans to only the most complex cases by 2035. The article highlights significant constituent backlash against these proposals, with parents concerned that children with less obvious needs will lose vital support.
Southampton Itchen MP Darren Paffey is hosting a community coffee morning to gather resident input on how £20 million in government funding (£2m annually for 10 years) should be spent in Weston under the Pride in Place programme. The event demonstrates the MP's commitment to community-led decision-making on local investment priorities.
Southampton Itchen MP Darren Paffey has publicly challenged a Telegraph journalist's negative ranking of Southampton as Britain's worst city, inviting him to visit and experience the city's cultural attractions, history, and amenities. The article highlights Paffey's active defense of his constituency against external criticism and promotion of local assets.
Southampton Itchen MP Darren Paffey has joined 61 MPs calling for a ban on social media use for under-16s, following Australia's recent implementation of similar legislation. The proposal has cross-party support and backing from child welfare organizations, though concerns exist about potential unintended consequences.
Southampton Itchen MP Darren Paffey has quit X (Twitter) due to concerns about Grok AI being used to create non-consensual sexualised images of women and children. His departure aligns with broader regulatory action from Ofcom and legislative moves to criminalise such content, following Southampton City Council's similar decision in February.
Southampton Itchen MP Darren Paffey presented awards to local small business winners as part of his second annual Small Business Awards scheme, which received over 400 nominations from constituents. The article highlights the positive community impact and recognition of local entrepreneurs including a hairdresser, stone painter, convenience store, and education training provider.
Darren Paffey, MP for Southampton Itchen, reaffirms Labour's commitment to cutting household energy bills by £300 over five years. He discusses the government's efforts to reduce fossil fuel dependence through renewable energy initiatives like lifting the ban on onshore wind farms.
Darren Paffey, Southampton Itchen's newly elected Labour MP, participated in a BBC Radio Solent public forum addressing constituent concerns about bus services, river pollution, and crime. The MP outlined his efforts on police recruitment, water company regulation, and bus service improvements, while acknowledging long-standing infrastructure and environmental challenges in the constituency.
Southampton Itchen MP Darren Paffey has welcomed a £21.5 million government investment in Weston as a transformative opportunity for the constituency. The funding, part of the Labour Government's Plan for Neighbourhoods scheme, will be distributed over ten years with community-led input.
MP Darren Paffey is advocating for government support for Southampton's hospitality sector in the upcoming November budget, calling for lower business rates, VAT cuts, and reduced National Insurance Contributions. He has held meetings with over 30 local businesses in Bitterne and Woolston to understand their challenges and plans further consultations with city centre hospitality venues.
MP Darren Paffey is hosting a pub event in Woolston where constituents can meet him one-on-one to discuss local issues over a drink. The initiative aims to increase accessibility to the MP while supporting local pub businesses.
Darren Paffey, Labour MP for Southampton Itchen, has joined 108 Labour MPs in rebelling against the government's welfare reform bill, arguing that proposed changes to Personal Independence Payments and Universal Credit lack proper consultation and risk pushing 250,000 people into poverty. Paffey has expressed concern that the reforms will have a profound negative impact on disabled and vulnerable constituents in Southampton Itchen, though he supports the broader goal of welfare reform.
Darren Paffey has been elected as the new Labour MP for Southampton Itchen, a key battleground seat that required a 4.7 percentage point swing from 2019. Paffey, who was deputy leader of Southampton council and cabinet member for children and learning, won the seat as part of Labour's broader electoral success.
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