Portrait of Gareth Thomas

Member of Parliament

Gareth Thomas

Labour (Co-op) MP for Harrow West

At a glanceGareth Thomas is a Labour (Co-op) MP for Harrow West, and has represented the seat for 29 years, 2 months. They have cast 357 votes in Commons divisions (62% attendance), tabled 2,222 written questions and registered 1 financial interest.

Votes cast357
Attendance62%
Voted Aye185
Voted No172
Voted with party100%
Rebellions0

Attendance is votes cast as a share of the 575 Commons divisions since the 2024 election; Gareth Thomas did not vote in 218. A rebellion is a vote against the way most of their own party voted; free votes, where no party line applies, are left out.

Party-loyalty figures are our own analysis of the official voting records (recorded votes only; they do not describe the formal whip). How we work this out.

Biographyfrom Parliament
Gareth Thomas is the Labour (Co-op) MP for Harrow West, and has been an MP continually since 1 May 1997.
Current roles2 held
  • Harrow West Representation · Elected 1 time since 4 Jul 2024
  • Labour Party since 1 May 1997
Voting recordlatest 15 shown
Voting alignmentmost and least similar MPs

Votes most like

Votes least like

Alignment figures are our own analysis of the official voting records (recorded votes only; they do not describe the formal whip). How we work this out.

Register of financial interests1 entry

From the official Register; shown as registered.

Land and property (within or outside the UK)1
  • Residential in Harrow (registered 27 Jun 2014)

Source: Register of Interests on parliament.uk.

Written questions2,222 tabled
Written question 16 Jul 2026 · Department of Health and Social Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of increased collaboration between health and social care agencies to administer care and support plans, including the provisio

Awaiting an answer from the Department of Health and Social Care.

Written question 16 Jul 2026 · Department of Health and Social Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of appointing a senior lead for wheelchair services in (a) his Department and (b) integrated care boards.

Awaiting an answer from the Department of Health and Social Care.

Written question 16 Jul 2026 · Department of Health and Social Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of longer, block contracts for providing Wheelchair Services for NHS patients on waiting times for delivering equipment.

Awaiting an answer from the Department of Health and Social Care.

Written question 16 Jul 2026 · Department of Health and Social Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to increase the NHS’s annual budget for Wheelchair Services.

Awaiting an answer from the Department of Health and Social Care.

Discord: Children 6 Jul 2026 · Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of Discord when considering the proposed social media restrictions for young people; and whether she has considered including Discord within the scope of th

Answer · 16 Jul 2026

We plan to use the same model for social media restrictions as Australia. Their approach includes user-to-user platforms that allow users to post material, alongside algorithms, with a set of exemptions.We will set out the final detail in regulations this...

Crown Court: Standards 2 Jul 2026 · Ministry of Justice

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of reclassification of certain offences to summary only on reducing the backlog in the Crown Courts.

Answer · 8 Jul 2026

Part 1 of the Independent Review of the Criminal Courts considered the potential impact of reclassifying certain triable either way offences as summary only offences. Sir Brian Leveson’s analysis indicated that reclassification, together with restricting ...

Criminal Proceedings: Finance 2 Jul 2026 · Ministry of Justice

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, What recent progress he has made on the implementation of £34 million for criminal advocates.

Answer · 8 Jul 2026

We have been working to ensure that the up to £34 million per year investment in criminal legal aid advocate fees delivers the greatest possible impact and lasting benefit. It will support the long-term sustainability of the advocate profession while alig...

Courts: Standards 2 Jul 2026 · Ministry of Justice

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure court proceedings are not delayed by the late arrival of prisoners.

Answer · 8 Jul 2026

We are taking a cross-system approach to improving the timely delivery of prisoners to court. Lord Timpson and I have established a Prisoner Delivery Oversight Board, bringing together senior leaders from across the Criminal Justice System to monitor perf...

See all written questions

Early day motions21 tabled
Speeches in the chamber3,266 on record

9 Jul 2026   Israeli Settlements: Trade Ban

If my hon. Friend will forgive me, I will not, just because of time. Britain would not be acting alone. Spain has already introduced a ban, while Ireland, Belgium and the Netherlands have either committed to or are advancing similar mea…

9 Jul 2026   Israeli Settlements: Trade Ban

Like others, I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield Central (Abtisam Mohamed) on securing this this debate. Like her, I support a complete legal ban on all British trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied west bank. …

2 Jul 2026   Commonhold and Leasehold Reform: Managing Agents

My hon. Friend is about to come on to property managing agents. May I add to the experiences heard by her Committee the experiences of constituents in my communities? Probably one third of the casework that I deal with relates to the poor …

23 Jun 2026   UK-EU Economic Co-operation

Given what my right hon. Friend has rightly said about the disastrous deal negotiated by the Conservatives once we left the EU, when the next UK-EU summit does eventually happen, will it not be time— after we have successfully concluded di…

2 Jun 2026   Armed Forces Bill

I apologise for interrupting the flow of my hon. Friend’s speech. Linked to her point about the armed forces covenant, she may be aware that one way in which the United States supports its military personnel is through encouraging membersh…

13 May 2026   Debate on the Address

The one thing I would agree with the hon. Gentleman on is that we need a closer relationship. It is this Government who have sought to rebuild relations with Europe, and they are doing so increasingly effectively. On the need to open up op…

13 May 2026   Debate on the Address

I should say at the outset how much I welcome the opening remarks of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister about antisemitism. Kenton United Synagogue and Golders Green sit very close to my constituency. The attacks were shocking and app…

23 Apr 2026   Business of the House

In Harrow, getting a free car parking space is often critical to whether someone can access vital public services, and it is crucial for local businesses, too. My right hon. Friend will therefore understand my constituents’ frustration tha…

16 Apr 2026   Business of the House

Does my right hon. Friend share my profound disappointment that the Conservative party selected a candidate for the local elections in Harrow who thinks that British-born Asian MPs such as the former Prime Minister and the current Home Sec…

25 Mar 2026   Engagements

As the covid inquiry graphically laid bare last week, the NHS was starved of the investment it needed under the Conservatives, and nowhere more so than at Northwick Park hospital; its brave and extraordinary staff worked around the clock d…

4 Mar 2026   NHS Capital Spending

The White House in Harrow, thanks to NHS capital money, will shortly become even better than its American namesake. I pay tribute to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Bobby Dean) for the way in which he introduced the debate. …

26 Feb 2026   Active Lifestyles

The clearly remarkable Fay Bond took up athletics at the age of 90 and won three gold medals last year at the US senior Olympics at the age of 101—the oldest of over 12,400 older athletes who took part. Given the many benefits of an active…

26 Feb 2026   Active Lifestyles

9. What steps she plans to take to ensure that people are adequately supported to maintain an active lifestyle at each stage of life.

11 Feb 2026   Local Government Finance

We certainly need more independent oversight of the way in which Conservative councils in outer London are managing their finances. I am completely with my hon. Friend on that score, and the story of what has happened in Hillingdon is almo…

11 Feb 2026   Local Government Finance

If the hon. Gentleman will forgive me, I have given way to him once, and I leave him to hope to catch your eye later, Madam Deputy Speaker. The public will get their say on the situation in Harrow in May, but the failures at Harrow coun…

11 Feb 2026   Local Government Finance

I would certainly welcome the news that the Conservative councillors in Harrow responsible for housing were looking at councils that are committed to building more council homes, like those in my hon. Friend’s constituency. The failure …

11 Feb 2026   Local Government Finance

Conservative councillors in Harrow promised not to raise council tax but duly did so. I hope the hon. Gentleman will join me in urging the shadow Secretary of State to ask the leader of the council to explain to the people of Harrow why he…

11 Feb 2026   Local Government Finance

I am happy to join the right hon. Gentleman in again condemning the role that the Liberal Democrats played, but if he was the sane voice in the Government at the time, I hope he will forgive me for being—slightly—even more concerned about …

11 Feb 2026   Local Government Finance

I am happy to give the right hon. Gentleman a way into the debate, but he might prefer to sit down and make a longer contribution later.

11 Feb 2026   Local Government Finance

Harrow council was on the verge of bankruptcy until Ministers announced substantial extra funding in the local government settlement. Council officers told councillors that they were facing a budget deficit of more than £32 million, and th…

Source: contributions on parliament.uk.

Full parliamentary career22 past posts

Government posts

  • Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) · Department for Business and Trade 9 Jul 2024 – 7 Sep 2025
  • Minister of State (Department for International Development) · Department for International Development 5 Oct 2008 – 6 May 2010
  • Minister of State (Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform) (Trade, Investment and Consumer Affairs) (also Department for International Development) · Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 5 Oct 2008 – 5 Jun 2009
  • Parliamentary Under-Secretary(Department for International Development) (Trade Policy) (also Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform) · Department for International Development 2 Jul 2007 – 5 Oct 2008
  • Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform) (Trade and Consumer Affairs) (also Department for International Development) · Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 2 Jul 2007 – 5 Oct 2008
  • Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for International Development) · Department for International Development 13 Jun 2003 – 28 Jun 2007

Opposition posts

  • Shadow Minister (International Trade) · Department for Business and Trade 10 Apr 2020 – 30 May 2024
  • Shadow Minister (Communities and Local Government) · Department for Communities and Local Government 9 Oct 2016 – 15 Jun 2017
  • Shadow Minister (Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) · Foreign and Commonwealth Office 7 Oct 2013 – 30 Mar 2015
  • Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office) · Cabinet Office 7 Oct 2011 – 7 Oct 2013
  • Shadow Minister (Business, Innovation and Skills) · Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 8 Oct 2010 – 7 Oct 2011
  • Shadow Minister (International Development) · Department for International Development 12 May 2010 – 8 Oct 2010

Other posts

  • Party Chair, Co-operative Party 1 Jul 2000 – 8 Jun 2019

Committee memberships

  • Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill [HL] 7 Feb 2024 – 20 Feb 2024
  • Co-operatives, Mutuals and Friendly Societies Bill 23 Nov 2022 – 30 Nov 2022
  • Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill 7 Sep 2022 – 18 Oct 2022
  • Compensation (London Capital & Finance plc and Fraud Compensation Fund) Bill 8 Jun 2021 – 15 Jun 2021
  • International Trade Committee 2 Mar 2020 – 8 Jun 2020
  • International Trade Committee 8 May 2019 – 6 Nov 2019
  • Environmental Audit Committee 12 Nov 1997 – 25 Nov 1999

Previous seats

  • Harrow West · Elected 4 times 6 May 2010 – 30 May 2024
  • Harrow West · Elected 3 times 1 May 1997 – 6 May 2010

Source: parliamentary career on parliament.uk.

Expenses£12,629 · 2025/26
Office Costs£12,629

See every line item

Source: IPSA (OGL v3.0)

Contact & offices[email protected]

[email protected]

020 7219 4243

Website

X (formerly Twitter)

Parliamentary office

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Constituency office

132 Blenheim Road, West Harrow, HA2 7AA

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Gareth Thomas, answered from official Parliament data.

Who is Gareth Thomas?

Gareth Thomas is a Member of Parliament representing Harrow West in the House of Commons. See Gareth Thomas's official Parliament profile.

Which party does Gareth Thomas represent?

Gareth Thomas sits as Labour (Co-op). See Gareth Thomas's official Parliament profile.

Which constituency does Gareth Thomas represent?

Gareth Thomas is the Member of Parliament for Harrow West. See Gareth Thomas's official Parliament profile.

How long has Gareth Thomas been an MP?

Gareth Thomas has served in the House of Commons for 29 years, 2 months. See Gareth Thomas's official Parliament profile.

What registered interests are listed for Gareth Thomas?

Gareth Thomas has 1 entry in the Register of Members' Financial Interests. See Gareth Thomas's official Parliament profile.

Source: this MP's official Parliament profile. Last updated 27 Jul 2026.