The Westminster lensMP · Labour Party · Sitting since 4 Jul 2024

Olivia Bailey.

Labour Party MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire.

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Olivia Bailey
PlaceReading West and Mid Berkshire
Blueskyoliviabailey.bsky.social
ProfileParliament.uk ↗
Commons votes
414/570
73% attendance · top 49% of MPs
Party alignment
98%
votes with party majority
Speeches
387
across 94 debates · 26,510 words
Written Qs
9
9 answered · 0 pending
Dispatch
14 Jul 2026

Partly aligned with the seat’s councils.

Bailey's most distinctive parliamentary act has been voting against assisted dying — opposing the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at Third Reading in June 2025 and backing tighter safeguards throughout its Report Stage. She sits 58 percentage points below her party's average on assisted dying access, making her one of Labour's clearest opponents of the legislation. Beyond that, she holds a ministerial role — referenced in coverage of her championing inclusive family policy and securing local benefits such as childcare savings and defence skills investment — which explains both her high party alignment and her absence from any select committee.

At 73% voting participation, she falls below the Commons average, though ministerial duties typically reduce voting attendance. Where she does vote, she is a 97.8% party-line supporter — backing workers' rights, progressive taxation, and planning reforms that streamline housing decisions. Her stance profile shows consistent scepticism toward parliamentary scrutiny mechanisms and civil liberties amendments, scoring just 15% and 11% respectively on those dimensions, though this pattern is common among government ministers.

Her 288 parliamentary contributions spread across education, local government, health, and the economy reflect an active legislative presence. Local news coverage — on chalk stream protection, school improvements, and cost-of-living measures — shows strong constituency engagement; she successfully lobbied to include the Rivers Kennet and Pang in national planning guidance. Recent news over the past 90 days skews toward culture and sport, with little high-salience coverage. No committee memberships are recorded, consistent with her ministerial position.

Background

Olivia Bailey is the Labour MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024. She currently holds the Government post of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities).

§ 01Voting record.414 divisions · most recent 24 Jun 2026

By issue — what do they vote on most?

Top eight by total divisions voted, this parliament. Volume measures engagement, not direction — see Notable Votes for free-vote moments and rebellions.

Economy72
Taxation69
Employment49
Education35
Welfare and Benefits26
Schools22
Constitution and Democracy22
Crime & Policing22

Source · The Public Whip · Hansard

Notable votes — free votes & rebellions.

Moments where the whip was free, or where Bailey broke ranks. Free votes are the truer signal of personal stance.

DateBill / motionVoteWhip
20 Jun 2025Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Third ReadingNo
Freevs party
20 Jun 2025Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Amendment 94No
Freevs party
20 Jun 2025Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Amendment 77No
Freevs party
§ 02Speeches.387 contributions · 94 debates · 26,510 words

Words spoken, by topic.

Education14,588
Culture Community8,228
Social Care6,543
Economy & Jobs5,577
Health5,546
Local Government5,467
Crime3,733
Lab avg / MP All-MP avgper topic, words per MP

Source · Hansard

Recent contributions.

7 Jul 2026

Independent Schools: Regulation of Proprietors

Acknowledges concerns and expresses sympathy for affected families; confirms government will work with local authorities to place displaced pupils; announces new fit-and-proper-per

1,134 words·Read
1 Jul 2026

Early Years Funding: Hampshire

The government has made record investment in early years (£9.5 billion in 2026-27), increased funding rates above inflation, and targeted extra support to disadvantaged children an

1,124 words·Read
25 Jun 2026

Draft Conversion Practices Bill

Conversion practices are abuse that existing law cannot adequately prosecute; the Bill fills specific gaps with clear thresholds and exemptions for legitimate healthcare and parent

3,469 words·Read
24 Jun 2026

Discrimination against Trans People

Government is committed to protecting and extending trans rights through legislative reform (hate-crime law, conversion practice bans, healthcare) and will defend existing legal pr

209 words·Read
Showing 4 of 387·All 387 speeches
§ 03Committees & roles.Select & joint committees
None recorded

Bailey holds no select-committee seat this session. New 2024-intake MPs typically wait one term before being appointed.

§ 04Written questions.9 tabled · 9 answered · 4 Oct 2024 → 5 Jun 2025

Top departments asked.

DepartmentQsShare
Department of Health and Social Care777.8%
Department for Business and Trade111.1%
Women and Equalities111.1%

Most recent.

5 Jun 2025·Department for Business and Trade·Answered

What steps he is taking to improve the regulatory environment for businesses in Reading West and Mid Berkshire constituency.

On 17 March 2025 this Government published the Action Plan for Regulation, outlining reforms to streamline regulation and support growth. As part of this we are cutting regulatory administrative costs to business by 25%, strengthening accou…read full →

12 Nov 2024·Department of Health and Social Care·Answered

Pursuant to the Answers of 11 November 2024 to Questions 12677, 12678 and 12679 on Dementia: Reading West and Mid Berkshire, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of collecting data o

Local systems rarely hold data by Parliamentary constituency. However, NHS England collects data on the number of people referred for assessments for dementia. This includes data about people diagnosed with dementia, including those who rec…read full →

6 Nov 2024·Women and Equalities·Answered

What steps she is taking to ban conversion practices.

Conversion practices are abuse - they have no place in society and must be stopped.My ministerial colleagues and I are working hard to bring forward legislation to deliver a full trans-inclusive ban that offers protection from these abusive…read full →

4 Nov 2024·Department of Health and Social Care·Answered

What the average waiting time for a dementia assessment is in Reading West and Mid Berkshire constituency.

NHS England does not hold this information centrally. Lord Darzi’s independent review showed that a timely diagnosis is vital to ensuring that a person with dementia can access the advice, information, care, and support that can help them t…read full →

Showing 4 of 9·All 9 written questions
§ 05Register & expenses.5 declared interests · £210k claimed FY 24_25

Register of interests.

Kevin Craig
£2,000
Linda Riley
£5,000
Unison South East
£1,900 of this, £400 was for Olivia Bailey as MP, to pay for Christmas cards. The rest of the funds were a donation to the local political party
Appointed to the Council of Management of The Lionel Cooke Memorial Fund Ltd. Th
Appointed to the Council of Management of The Lionel Cooke Memorial Fund Ltd. This is an unpaid role. Date interest arose: 1 January 2025 …
Name: Fionnuala McGoldrick
Name: Fionnuala McGoldrick Relationship: Spouse Role: Director Name of employer: SHGH Global Holdings (Registered 19 December 2025)

Source · Members API · Last amended 10 Mar 2026

IPSA expenses.

Category£Share
Staffing168,74980.3%
Office Costs27,83513.2%
MP Travel8,9134.2%
Staff Travel4,4202.1%
Accommodation1990.1%
Total · 107 claims210,116100%
Showing 5 of 107·All 107 IPSA claims

Source · IPSA · FY 24_25

§ 06This week in Westminster.Order paper · refreshed daily

Nothing tabled for Bailey on the published Order Paper this week.

§ 07Electoral history.2 contests · 2017, 2024
YearConstituencyVotesShareResult
2024Reading West and Mid Berkshire16,27335.0%Won
2017Reading West22,43543.3%Lost

2024 — full result, Reading West and Mid Berkshire.

CandidateVotes%
Olivia BaileyWONLab16,27335.0

Showing the MP’s own row only. Full result table: see Reading West and Mid Berkshire

Sources, methods & last update
Method The dispatch paragraphs are AI-generated from the public sources listed below. Every figure links to its source. If we’re wrong, please tell us — corrections within 48 hours.
DivisionsHansard
The Public Whip
Updated 15 Jul 2026
SpeechesHansard · 26,510 words
29 Jul 2024 → 8 Jul 2026
Written QsMembers API
9 tabled · 9 answered
CommitteesCommittees API
None recorded
RegisterMembers API
5 entries
ExpensesIPSA
£210,116 · FY 24_25
Order paperUK Parliament
Refreshed daily
ElectionsElectoral Commission
DCLEAPIL