New North West Cambridgeshire MP Sam Carling says cancelled A-Level exams during COVID pandemic 'politicised' him

The new North West Cambridgeshire MP Sam Carling has told Parliament he was 'politicised' after his A-Level exams were cancelled during the COVID pandemic – and has vowed to champion the teaching of science in schools.

Labour MP Mr Carling made his maiden speech in Parliament yesterday (Wednesday) after being elected earlier this month.

He is the ‘baby of the house’ as the youngest MP, and became the first MP to be born in the 21st century after a dramatic recount in the early hours of July 5.

“It will not surprise many Members to hear that I have not been out of the education system for that long”

In his speech he said: “As I am the youngest Member of this Parliament, it will not surprise many Members to hear that I have not been out of the education system for that long. Indeed, I was in the first cohort of students whose A-level exams were

cancelled during the pandemic. In many ways, it was that experience that politicised me.

"I grew up in a deprived rural area and was concerned from a young age to see a progressive decline in local high streets, alongside growing problems in public services, notably within schools.

"When I was in my final year at a rural school, budget cuts forced the closure of its sixth form, leaving me and many others having to find alternative provision at short notice, which was not easy for many, who faced very long journeys indeed to the nearest alternatives.

"The closure not only disrupted education but fragmented the community, as students were scattered to different institutions, but I never connected those issues to politics and the decisions being made in this place until I saw the direct impact of those decisions on schools during the pandemic. The response to the crisis, the decisions about exams, and the support, or lack thereof, provided to students made it clear to a great many previously disengaged young people that political choices have real and immediate consequences.”

“I intend to use my direct experience of the problems in our schools to contribute to the Government’s agenda to revitalise them."

Mr Carling studied at The University of Cambridge in the Pathology department, and he said his ‘science background’ instilled in him the importance of having solid evidence behind that are made decisions – and also praised the impact of ARU Peterborough in the city where much of his constituency lies.

He said: “We saw during the pandemic that communicating the rationale behind decisions taken by the Government was very difficult, which highlights why there is such a need to improve how we teach science in schools, and I will champion that.

“I intend to use my direct experience of the problems in our schools to contribute to the Government’s agenda to revitalise them.

“Going further, we must deliver a robust skills system as part of facilitating lifelong learning as we seek to break down the barriers to opportunity, as our manifesto outlined. On that front, I pay heed to Anglia Ruskin University Peterborough. While just outside the boundaries of my constituency, it is delivering a huge amount for residents in the communities I represent, as, prior to its delivery, Peterborough was the largest city in our country that lacked a university, as I understand it.

"I am proud that a Labour combined authority has made expansion and development of that university a real priority, and I look forward to championing that cause in this place. That is a real example of how devolution works. Having served as a councillor and council cabinet member, I hope to be an ally and champion of local government and the insight that councillors and other locally elected representatives have into local communities.”

Predecessor Shailesh Vara made ‘significant contribution’

The new MP also used his speech to pay tribute to Shailesh Vara, who had represented North West Cambridgeshire for nearly 20 years. Mr Carling won the vote by just 39 votes – the 4th narrowest winning margin in the entire election.

Mr Carling said: “My constituency of North West Cambridgeshire has not had a new Member of Parliament in many years, as my predecessor, Shailesh Vara, was elected to represent it in 2005, when I was only three years old. Over that time, he made significant contributions to the work of this House, for example, through campaigning to broaden the age of routine breast cancer screening and, on a local level, fighting for new infrastructure to support residents as new developments continue to come forward across the constituency. He was very kind to me over the election campaign, which was fought fairly and cleanly, and I wish him well for the future.”