Stephen Morgan is the Labour MP for Portsmouth South, having first been elected to parliament at the 2017 general election.

In the 2024 general election, Morgan won 18,857 votes, representing 48.4% of the vote. The Reform UK candidate, Mark Zimmer, received 5,702 votes (14.6%), while the Conservative candidate, Signe Biddle, secured 5,643 votes (14.5%). Morgan was duly elected with a majority of 13,155 votes.

The Portsmouth South constituency covers the southern part of the city, including areas like Southsea, Fratton, and the University of Portsmouth. Historically a Conservative-Liberal Democrat marginal, Labour gained the seat in 2017 and has held it since with increasing majorities.

Political Career

Morgan currently serves as parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He was appointed to this role in July 2026, following the Labour leadership contest and Andy Burnham’s elevation as prime minister.

Morgan served as minister of state for food security and rural affairs in the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs from June to July 2026. His appointment to this role came at a time of acute pressure for the prime minister, Keir Starmer, in the wake of the May 2026 elections. Specifically, Morgan’s appointment followed the resignation of John Healey as secretary of state for defence. He replaced Angela Eagle in the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, who succeeded Dan Jarvis as security minister. Jarvis replaced Healey as defence secretary.

Morgan previously served as junior lord of the Treasury and government whip (September 2025 – June 2026) and as parliamentary under-secretary of state for early education (July 2024 – September 2025).

Prior to the 2024 general election, which saw Labour returned to power after 14 years in opposition, Morgan held several shadow ministerial roles, including shadow minister for rail (September 2023 – May 2024), shadow minister for schools (December 2021 – September 2023), shadow minister for the armed forces (April 2020 – December 2021), shadow minister for defence procurement (January – April 2020), and shadow minister for communities (July 2019 – April 2020).

From 2017 to 2019, Morgan served as parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to the shadow communities secretary, Andrew Gwynne. A PPS acts as an unpaid parliamentary assistant, providing a link between the senior frontbencher and backbench MPs.

Morgan sat on the public accounts committee from November 2017 to November 2019.

Morgan is a patron of LGBT+ Labour – a socialist society formally affiliated with the Labour Party.

Morgan delivered his maiden speech on 13 September 2017 during a debate on NHS pay.

In it, he said: “It is an honour to be the first ever Labour MP for this historic constituency, in a city that, throughout its history, has punched above its weight.

“It is the home of the Royal Navy and our nation’s new carriers, and the birthplace of British authors, world-leading engineers, the greatest football club in the land, in my opinion, and the occasional Labour prime minister – but one step at a time.”

He added: “My first job in Portsmouth was as a playworker, serving the most deprived parts of the city – a city where, even today, too many families are still living in poverty, and where too many are still being held back.

“Coming from a working-class family with a background in public services – my father, a former youth worker, and my mother, a hospital cleaner – I have learned the value of good public services, of meeting local needs and of working hard to help others.”

Before entering parliament, Morgan served as a Labour councillor for Charles Dickens ward on Portsmouth City Council, becoming leader of the Labour group shortly after his election in 2016.

Political views

Leadership elections and loyalty

Labour leadership 2020: Morgan was one of 82 Labour MPs who nominated Keir Starmer for the party’s leadership in early 2020. The election was triggered by the resignation of Jeremy Corbyn following the party’s defeat in the 2019 general election, which resulted in Labour’s fewest seats in the House of Commons since 1935.

Starmer’s 82 nominations were the highest of any candidate. The shadow Brexit secretary won a decisive victory in the first round with 56.2% of the vote, defeating Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy.

Brexit and Europe

Brexit referendum: Morgan supported Remain in the 2016 Brexit referendum, and therefore disagreed with a majority of his constituents, 51.8% of whom voted to Leave.

People’s vote support (2019): Morgan signed a January 2019 statement by Labour MPs calling for a “people’s vote” or second referendum. The statement, signed by 71 Labour MPs, read: “Defeat of the Tory [Brexit] deal in a public vote would give us all a chance to campaign for the anti-austerity policies and a Labour government that deals with the true causes of the Brexit vote, and a reformed Europe that works for all people.”

Remain pledge: During the 2019 general election campaign, Morgan was one of 193 Labour candidates to sign the anti-Brexit “Remain pledge”, drawn up by the campaign group Remain Labour.

It stated: “Labour is committed to a confirmatory referendum, to give you the final say on Brexit. If elected as your Labour MP, I pledge to campaign to Remain in the EU.”

Welfare

Welfare vote (July 2025): Morgan voted in favour of the government’s flagship welfare bill at second reading. The vote came after ministers agreed to significant concessions to avoid defeat via a mass rebellion of Labour MPs on 1 July 2025.

Assisted dying

Morgan voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, better known as the assisted dying bill, at both second reading (November 2024) and third reading (June 2025).

Social values and conscience issues

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): Morgan voted in favour of a backbench amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that sought to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales in June 2025. The amendment, which was passed by a majority of 242 votes, removed women from the threat of prosecution for ending a pregnancy at any stage. As an issue of conscience, MPs were allowed to vote according to their personal beliefs.

Foreign policy and security

Sanctioned (Russia): In April 2022, Morgan was among the group of MPs placed on a sanctions list by the Russian government. The measure barred them from entering Russia and was presented by Moscow as a retaliatory response to the UK’s stance on the invasion of Ukraine.

Palestine

LFPME: Morgan has been listed as a member of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East (LFPME). The organisation’s stated aim is to promote peace and justice in the region through the application of international law and respect for human rights.

Before Politics

Born Stephen James Morgan in Portsmouth on 17 January 1981, he grew up in the Fratton area of the city. He attended Priory School and Portsmouth College.

He studied politics and sociology at the University of Bristol and later gained a master’s degree in politics from Goldsmiths, University of London. He was the first in his family to attend university.

Morgan worked in local government, including roles at Portsmouth City Council and later as head of community engagement for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (2008-2015). From 2015 until his election in 2017, he was chief executive officer of Basingstoke Voluntary Action. He has also chaired the Portsmouth Cultural Consortium.

Personal Life

Morgan lives in Southsea, Portsmouth.

In 2024, PinkNews listed Morgan among a number of out LGBTQ+ parliamentarians.

Trivia

Morgan was the first ever Labour MP elected for the constituency of Portsmouth South.