Luke Charters
Luke Jonathan Charters (born 18 August 1995) is a British Labour politician elected as Member of Parliament for York Outer in the general election held on 4 July 2024.
Luke Charters | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for York Outer | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Julian Sturdy |
| Majority | 9,391 (18.4%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 August 1995 |
| Party | Labour |
| Education | Huntington School, York |
| Alma mater | (MSc) |
| Website | lukecharters.co.uk |
Luke Jonathan Charters[1] (born 18 August 1995) is a British Labour politician elected as Member of Parliament for York Outer in the general election held on 4 July 2024.[2]
Early life and career
[edit]Early life and education
[edit]Charters was born on 18 August 1995 in York, North Yorkshire, England.[3] He was educated at Huntington School, a comprehensive school in York. He studied philosophy, politics, and economics at Mansfield College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Oxford in 2016.[3] He then studied political science at the University of Chicago,[4][5] graduating with a Master of Science (MSc) degree in 2017.[3]
Career
[edit]Before his political career, Charters worked at the Bank of England and at the Financial Conduct Authority with a focus on fraud.[6] While at the Bank of England, Charters helped with the polymer banknote programme and contributed to the development of new payment infrastructure projects.[7] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Charters collaborated with the CEOs of several banks to ensure readily available access to cash.[6]
Charters subsequently worked in the fintech industry as a senior manager at the global payroll company Remote and led their fraud and compliance function.[8] In May 2022, Charters was appointed company director.[9] In March 2024 Charters resigned as a company director.[10] Charters was also a company director of Charters-Reid Surveyors Ltd between October 2014 and October 2017.[11] In July 2020, Charters was appointed a company director of Roots Local Ltd cocktail bar,[12][13] and resigned as a director in July 2022[14] before the company was placed in voluntary liquidation in 2023.[14]
Parliamentary career
[edit]Charters first stood for election for York Outer (as Luke Charters-Reid) as the Labour candidate in the 2017 general election, when he was 21, coming second to the Conservative Party's incumbent MP Julian Sturdy.[15][16] Charters was subsequently elected as a councillor for the Wall End ward on Newham London Borough Council in 2022 prior to standing in York Outer.[17] He stepped down from the council in 2023.[3]
During the 2024 general election, Charters campaigned on several issues, including the regulation of the bailiff sector,[18] flood defences for York,[19] planning reform,[20] eating disorders in young men,[21] and removing restrictions on investing in UK defence companies.[22] Charters has also campaigned for the creation of a national anti-fraud centre.[23]
Elected with 45% of the vote, a positive swing of 15%, Charters temporarily appointed Labour donor Owen Trotter to set up and run his first parliamentary office.[24][25][26] On 17 July 2024, he made his maiden speech in the House of Commons in the debate following the King's Speech[27] and was elected as the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Food Security.[28]
In October 2024, Charters was elected to the Public Accounts Committee.[29] Previously, Charters served on the Crown Estate Bill Committee.[30] In November 2024, Charters voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which proposes to legalise assisted suicide.[31]
In March 2025, Charters held a Westminster Hall debate on "aggressive and unregulated bailiff practices".[32] Later that month, Charters supported government reforms of the existing "cliff-edge welfare system"[33] and was one of 36 signatories in an open letter of support for improving disabled employment support.[34] In May 2025, Charters introduced a Private Members' Bill for the regulation of bailiffs[35] "to get a grip on rogue bailiffs",[36] and proposed looking at the ban on alcohol during men's football matches.[37] Charters also serves as the current Chair of the FinTech All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).[38]
In June 2025, Charters announced that he would be the first male MP to take extended parental leave and employ his office manager as locum during paternity leave.[39] This followed a campaign for improving UK paternity leave[40][41] that was backed by multiple MPs and the Women and Equalities Committee.[42]
Personal life
[edit]Charters has a wife and two children.[5][43] They named their first son after his religious studies teacher at Huntington School.[44] They had their second son in summer 2025.[43] The family live in his constituency with two pets.[45]
References
[edit]- ^ "Members Sworn". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 752. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 10 July 2024.
- ^ "York Outer | General Election 2024". Sky News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Charters, Luke, (born 18 Aug. 1995), MP (Lab) York Outer, since 2024". Who's Who 2025. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ Glenton, Kevin (25 May 2024). "Luke Charters launches York Outer general election campaign". York Press. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ a b Lewis, Haydn (6 July 2024). "York Outer Labour MP Luke Charters sets out agenda". York Press. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Meet Luke Charters – the fraud expert who is York Outer's new MP". Yorkshire Post. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "Luke Charters | ABI". www.abi.org.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "House of Commons – The Register of Members' Financial Interests (4 August 2024: Charters, Mr Luke )". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "Luke Jonathan CHARTERS personal appointments – Find and update company information – GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "REMOTE GLOBAL SERVICES LTD filing history – Find and update company information – GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Companies House". Companies House.
- ^ "A new community cocktail bar plants its Roots in East Village". 30 March 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "ROOTS LOCAL LTD overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ a b "ROOTS LOCAL LTD filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ Prest, Victoria (3 May 2017). "Labour names 21-year-old Luke Charters-Reid as York Outer candidate". York Press. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
- ^ Prest, Victoria; Ross, Alex (9 June 2017). "GENERAL ELECTION 2017: Conservatives hold York Outer with reduced majority – Julian Sturdy backs Theresa May to continue as PM". York Press. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
- ^ Latif, Sheeza. "Local Elections 2022". Newham Council. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ "Regulation of the Bailiff Sector – Hansard – UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 5 February 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Flooding – Hansard – UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 5 February 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Responsibilities of Housing Developers – Hansard – UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 5 February 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Eating Disorder Awareness – Hansard – UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 5 February 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ Baker, Alex; Charters, Luke (6 March 2025). "Finance for Ukraine: Scrap regulations that ban investment in defence". City AM. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "York MP calls for measures to tackle fraud as constituent loses £10,000". York Press. 13 September 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "York MP Luke Charters defends giving job to Labour donor". YorkPress. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "York MP defends appointment of donor who gave £55K to the Labour Party". YorkMix. 15 October 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "Register of Interests – House of Commons". Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ Mr Luke Charters (17 July 2024). "Debate on the Address". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 752. United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 122–124.
- ^ "York's newest MP elected chair of parliamentary group". York Press. 15 September 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "Parliamentary career for Mr Luke Charters – MPs and Lords – UK Parliament". members.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Crown Estate Bill [HL] – Summary – Committees – UK Parliament". committees.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Second Reading". Votes in Parliament. 29 November 2024.
- ^ "Luke Charters MP speaks out on rogue bailiffs". 13 March 2025. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ Gerrard, Joe (24 March 2025). "York MP defends his support for £5bn cuts to disability benefit". YorkMix. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ "York MP signs controversial letter calling for 'hard choices' over benefit cuts". York Press. 14 March 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ "Regulation of Bailiffs". Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Regulation of Bailiffs". Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "York Outer MP urges rethink on football stands alcohol ban". BBC News. 3 May 2025. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
- ^ "APPG FinTech". 5 February 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "I'm a dad first, an MP second". 12 June 2025. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "York MP tells the Prime Minister that he's expecting another baby and asks about paternity leave". Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Two weeks of paternity leave is just too little for the 21st Century". Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ "Government's review must address 'fundamental failings' in UK's parental leave system, WEC warns". Retrieved 16 June 2025.
- ^ a b "York MP welcomes new baby after making House of Commons history". YorkMix. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ "'My a-Maze-ing first weeks as York Outer's first Labour MP' – Luke Charters". York Press. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "About Me - Luke Charters MP". LukeCharters.co.uk. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
External links
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