York Central.

Rachael Maskell is best known right now for her rebellion on welfare. In July 2025 she voted three times against the government's Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill -- opposing two clauses at committee stage, voting against the bill's third reading, and backing an amendment to protect disabled people with fluctuating conditions during the PIP review. That put her sharply to the left of her party on benefits: she votes in line with a pro-disability-benefits position 100% of the time, against a Labour average of just 8%. Earlier, in November 2025, she had the Labour whip restored after a suspension linked to that welfare rebellion -- and said publicly she would remain a "critical friend" of the government.

Beyond welfare, Maskell is an active and broadly loyal MP. At 93% participation she votes more often than most. She backs workers' rights and progressive taxation almost without exception, and deviates little from Labour on most economic questions. However, she voted against the tuition fee rise in March 2026 and against extending Public Order Act protest powers in January 2026 -- two further signals that she will break ranks when she judges a measure too harsh on ordinary people. She speaks frequently, with over 400 contributions spanning the economy, social care, health, and local government.

Her constituency work is visible: she raised business rates at Prime Minister's Questions, met the Energy Minister to push a geothermal energy scheme for York, and backed her own Removal of Titles Bill after Prince Andrew relinquished his Duke of York title. She sits on no select committees. Voting and speech data are available from 2015; recent news covers a wide range of local and national issues.