Iain Duncan Smith.

One of the Conservatives' most prominent backbenchers, Duncan Smith has been conspicuously active on defence and foreign policy in recent months. He voted with his party against all four of the government's climate-related statutory instruments on 24 June — opposing the new carbon budget order, credit limits, and the extension of climate obligations to international aviation and shipping — while simultaneously backing Conservative opposition motions on defence spending and puberty blockers. Beyond the chamber, his highest-profile interventions have been on Afghanistan: last year he publicly condemned the government's handling of the ARAP resettlement scheme as "a moral disgrace," and his defence speeches dominate his parliamentary record.

Duncan Smith participates in 71% of votes, a shade below the Commons average, and votes 100% with the Conservative whip — there are no rebel votes on record. His stance profile is consistently right-of-centre: he votes against progressive taxation and trade union rights in every case, backs parliamentary scrutiny and Lords oversight strongly, and scores 100% on pro-business measures. He is notably more resistant to assisted dying than even his own party average, and slightly more aligned with climate action than fellow Conservatives — though his votes on 24 June cut against that pattern.

His constituency work has been visible and varied: he challenged Santander publicly over its withdrawal from Chingford's banking hub, pushed the Met to act on criminal squatting gangs using a specific local case, and contacted Waltham Forest Council after a nursery closed overnight. Defence dominates his speeches (96 contributions), followed by economy and jobs. He holds no committee seats, so his influence runs through the chamber floor and media. No rebel voting data limits the picture of genuine independence.