Apsana Begum.

Apsana Begum has become one of Labour's most consistent rebels on immigration and asylum. She voted against the Immigration and Asylum Bill at Second Reading in July 2026 — one of only a handful of Labour MPs to do so — having already voted against two asylum support statutory instruments in April. She also backed the opposition motion to refer Keir Starmer to the Privileges Committee over the Peter Mandelson appointment, breaking a three-line whip. Her voting record shows near-total alignment with pro-asylum-seeker positions (100%, against a party average of just 1%), placing her firmly on Labour's left flank on migration. Her rebellion is not new: she previously lost the Labour whip over welfare votes, and her opposition to the two-child benefit cap was ultimately vindicated when the government reversed course and restored her to the party in October 2025.

At 71% voting participation and 86% party alignment, Begum votes less and rebels more than most Labour MPs. She consistently backs workers' rights and progressive taxation (100% aligned), but diverges sharply from her party on welfare reform and victims' justice legislation. Her 100 parliamentary contributions span social care, defence, and the economy, and she holds no select committee seat — meaning her influence operates mainly through the chamber and the voting lobby.

The broader picture is contested. Recent local coverage has been largely positive, focusing on her advocacy for children in poverty and disabled constituents, and her eventual vindication on the two-child cap. Earlier coverage was dominated by a 2021 housing fraud trial, at which she was acquitted. No committee data is available to assess her work outside the chamber.