A 22-year-old Cambridge postgraduate student, Sam Carling, has made history by becoming the UK's youngest Member of Parliament (MP). Carling, a Labour candidate, won the North West Cambridgeshire constituency by a narrow margin of 39 votes, defeating veteran Conservative MP Shailesh Vara.
Labour’s Sam Carling is likely to be the "baby of the House" - an unofficial nickname given to the youngest member of the House of Commons.
The Cambridge University student, studying for an MPhil at Christ's College, has become the first Labour MP to represent the constituency, which has been a Conservative stronghold since its creation in 1997.
“I’m absolutely thrilled,” he said after making his winners’ speech. “I’m very grateful to all the residents who have put their trust in me, and I’m very cognisant of the responsibility that comes with that,” he added.
Carling's victory is part of a larger landslide win for Labour in the general election, with the party securing a majority of over 170 seats in the House of Commons.
The young politician has already made a name for himself in local politics, serving as a councillor for West Chesterton Ward and holding various roles within the university, including president of Christ's College's Junior Common Room and co-chair of the Cambridge University Labour Club.
Carling said many voters were surprised to discover he was running for office, but that "people on the doorstep were very positive", BBC reported.
"They said ‘That’s good, we need more young people’.
"There is a lot of abuse aimed at younger people online, but face-to-face, people are generally thrilled to find out."
However, he doesn't want his age to be a focus.
"I want us to get away from this strange mindset towards younger people’s age. As far as I’m concerned we’re just the same as anyone else. I just want to get with the job."
