The 2024 General Election returned the largest intake of new MPs since 1945, ushering in a “fresher-faced” Commons. One year on, PoliMonitor’s Behind the Benches analysis tracks over 72,000 parliamentary contributions from the 2024 cohort from Written Questions and spoken interventions to Early Day Motions.

The findings reveal striking contrasts: Labour’s majority has not translated into high individual activity, with many new MPs cautious in their contributions, while Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, and Greens have leaned heavily on procedural tools to amplify their voice. The data shows how backbenchers are defining their place in Parliament, testing routes to influence, and adapting to the realities of scrutiny under a new government.

This year at the Liberal Democrat conference, electoral reform was back on the agenda.

Our Content and Services Officer, Alfie, looks at the party’s renewed push for Proportional Representation exploring claims it could end wasted votes and curb the rise of Reform, while also weighing the unintended consequence of shifting power towards the House of Lords.

Charities are woven into the everyday language of Parliament and that influence extends online.

Our latest PoliMonitor research tracked 3,420 X posts from MPs tagging YouGov’s Top 100 charities since the 2024 General Election. The Royal British Legion once again led by a clear margin, boosted by Remembrance activity and VE Day commemorations, while Breast Cancer Now and the Terrence Higgins Trust also saw spikes tied to awareness campaigns.

It’s not just the big names: regional and personal connections continue to shape MPs’ digital engagement, with Sorcha Eastwood MP’s advocacy for blood cancer charities a notable example. The data shows that timing, visibility and personal relevance remain the key drivers of how MPs interact with charities online.