Following the UK general election on 4 July, there are now four St Catharine’s alumni among the 650 Members of Parliament (MPs) sitting in the House of Commons: two alumni were re-elected by their constituents and two additional alumni were elected for the first time.
Lilian Greenwood (1984, Social & Political Sciences)
Lilian was re-elected as the Labour MP for Nottingham South, a constituency that she has represented since 2010. She was also appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport on 9 July 2024 and serves as the Minister for the Future of Roads.
She commented, “After 14 long years in opposition, I am delighted to finally be part of a Labour government with clear plans to improve the lives of my constituents in Nottingham South and across the UK. I intend to work day in, day out to repay the trust that they continue to place in me. I am also thrilled to be joining the team at the Department for Transport where the Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh, has promised we'll move fast and fix things – I can't wait to get stuck in."
Lilian previously served Labour in opposition as Assistant Whip, Shadow Transport Minister, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Deputy Chief Whip and Shadow Minister for Arts, Heritage and Civil Society. As a backbencher, she chaired the Transport Select Committee and the Commons’ Finance Committee, and sat on the Liaison Committee, Education Select Committee and Regulatory Reform Committee.
Lilian Greenwood MP (credit: Richard Townshend Photography)
Munira Wilson (née Hassam; 1996, Modern & Medieval Languages)
Munira was re-elected as the Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham, where she has lived since 2005. She was first elected in 2019 and soon after was appointed as the Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Health, Wellbeing and Social Care. She is now the party’s spokesperson on Education, Children and Young People.
She said, “I am absolutely humbled, honoured and delighted to have been re-elected, thanks to the wonderful residents of Twickenham, Teddington, the Hamptons, St Margarets and Whitton. I feel privileged to serve my constituents and to return to the Commons as part of a record-breaking 72-strong cohort of Liberal Democrat MPs.”
Munira’s first experience of elected office was as a councillor on Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council from 2006 to 2010. She was also a Liberal Democrat candidate in Twickenham's neighbouring constituency of Feltham and Heston in the 2010 general election, and for the South West constituency in the 2012 London Assembly election.
Munira Wilson MP
Joe Powell (2004, Geography)
Joe is the new Labour MP for Kensington & Bayswater, a new constituency created by the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies. Until his election, Joe was the Deputy CEO of the Open Government Partnership, an organisation founded by President Barack Obama to support democracy and fight corruption in over 70 countries around the world, including in Britain. He also co-founded the Kensington Against Dirty Money campaign in 2022 after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In his maiden speech on day two of the King's Speech debate he said:
“Kensington & Bayswater is a special place, making a huge contribution to our national life in so many ways, and my hope is working with this Labour government we become a fairer place too, building on our strengths and addressing the inequalities that hold us back.”
Joe Powell MP with Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP
Tony Vaughan (2000, Law)
Tony is the new Labour MP for Folkestone & Hythe. His election drew attention because 2024 is the first time that this constituency has been served by a Labour representative, having elected Conservative MPs since 1950 (and as far back as the late 19th century as the Hythe constituency).
Sir John Benger (1979, English), Master of St Catharine’s, added:
“On behalf of the College, I want to extend hearty congratulations to Lilian, Munira, Joe and Tony on their election results and to Lilian on her ministerial appointment. I already know and respect Lilian and Munira from my time as Clerk of the House of Commons and wish Joe and Tony the best of luck as they settle into public office.”
This article was updated on 31 July to include Tony Vaughan MP.
