The baby of the House is an informal title bestowed upon the youngest member of the House of Commons. The title holder is determined purely by their date of birth, and it is a term of convention rather than a formal office.

Unlike the father of the House, who has the formal duty of presiding over the election of a speaker, the baby of the House has no official duties or responsibilities. The title is an informal term used by parliamentary colleagues and the media.

Following the July 2024 general election, the baby of the House is Sam Carling, the Labour MP for North West Cambridgeshire. He was 22 years old when he was elected to parliament.

Notable former babies of the House

Many prominent political figures have held the title of baby of the House at the start of their careers.

• Mhairi Black (later SNP deputy leader at Westminster) was the baby of the House from 2015 to 2019, having been famously elected at the age of just 20.
• Jo Swinson (later Liberal Democrat leader) was baby of the House from 2005 to 2009.
• David Lammy (Labour, later deputy prime minister) was baby of the House from 2000 to 2003.
• Charles Kennedy (SDP, later Liberal Democrat leader) held the title from 1983 to 1987.
• David Steel (later Liberal leader) was the baby of the House from 1965 to 1966.
• Tony Benn (Labour, later secretary of state for energy) was baby of the House in 1950 and again from 1951 to 1954.
• Roy Jenkins (Labour, later home secretary) was baby of the House from 1948 to 1950.
• John Profumo (Conservative, later secretary of state for war) was the baby of the House from 1940 to 1941 and again from 1944 to 1945.

Additional resources

• House of Commons Library – Youngest Members of Parliament since 1979: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn04416/
• Article: ‘Fresh faces: meet the UK’s 10 MPs from generation Z’ from the Guardian, July 2024: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/09/meet-uk-10-mps-generation-z