Ben Goldsborough is the Labour MP for South Norfolk, having first been elected to parliament at the 2024 general election.

In the 2024 general election, Goldsborough received 17,353 votes (35.0%). The Conservative candidate, Poppy Simister-Thomas, received 14,527 votes (29.3%), while the Reform UK candidate, Chris Harrison, secured 7,583 votes (15.3%). Goldsborough was elected with a majority of 2,826.

The South Norfolk constituency is located in Norfolk, East of England. A predominantly rural seat situated south of Norwich, it has existed in various forms since 1868. South Norfolk was represented by the Conservative Party between 1950 and 2024.

Goldsborough’s immediate predecessor as the MP for South Norfolk was Richard Bacon of the Conservative Party. Bacon represented the seat from 2001 to 2024.

Political Career

Goldsborough is a member of the House of Commons petitions committee (since October 2024) – the committee responsible for considering e-petitions submitted on parliament’s petitions website and public (paper) petitions presented to the commons.

In May 2026, Goldsborough was among the group of Labour MPs who publicly called for the prime minister, Keir Starmer, to resign or set out a clear timetable for his departure. The move followed the 2026 local elections and devolved elections to the Scottish Parliament and Senedd Cymru.

In a statement, he said: “I believe our movement can still deliver the change people desperately want and deserve. But I no longer believe the prime minister can lead that change.”

Goldsborough has been vocal in condemning the political programme of Reform UK and Nigel Farage.

In a March 2025 article for Politics.co.uk, Goldsborough warned that while Reform “like to wrap themselves in the Union Jack, but at the slightest breeze it is pulled back to reveal they’re clad head to toe in the Kremlin’s colours.”

In April 2025, Goldsborough accused Farage of “doing everything he can to undermine British agriculture for the sake of a few awkward photo ops with America’s commander-in-chief.”

In August 2025, Goldsborough wrote that too “many politicians see immigration as a refuge for their own desperation – a wedge issue to be weaponised rather than a problem to be solved. That is where Reform UK lives.”

Goldsborough is listed as a member of the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for the banking industry.

Goldsborough delivered his maiden speech on 7 October 2024 during a debate on NHS performance.

In it, he said:“My values were forged in the heart of East Anglia, shaped by the lessons learned from my parents. My mum Sara, a hard-working shop worker, and my dad Wayne, a stable lad – yes, those jobs still exist in the 21st century – instilled in me principles that have guided my life, which I hope to bring to this House.

“They taught me the importance of honesty; of giving your all, no matter what the task”.

He added: “Supporting SEND families is a cause close to my heart. Far too often, families face unnecessary battles to secure the right support for their children.

“I will work tirelessly to push for reforms in SEND provision so that it is fair, timely and accessible. Every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential and every family deserves to be heard, supported and empowered.”

Before entering parliament, Goldsborough was elected as a Labour councillor on the Flint Town Council in Flintshire, Wales, in 2022. He served as deputy mayor on Flint Town Council from 2022 to 2023. He was mayor of Flint from 2023 to 2024.

Political Views

Leadership elections

Labour deputy leadership 2025: Goldsborough was one of 117 Labour MPs who nominated Lucy Powell for the party’s deputy leadership in September 2025. The election followed the resignation of Angela Rayner, who stepped down as deputy prime minister and deputy party leader after an investigation into her tax affairs. It marked the first time since 2007 that Labour had held a deputy leadership contest while in government.

Powell, the former leader of the House of Commons, was seen as a candidate representing the party’s “soft left”; she was supported by leading soft left figures including Ed Miliband and Andy Burnham. She secured 117 nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), above the 80 required, and went on to win the election – defeating Bridget Phillipson with 54.3% of the vote.

Factional identity and party tradition

Usdaw: Goldsborough is a member of the Usdaw Union Parliamentary Group – a group of MPs who are members of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) and work generally to represent the union’s interests within parliament.

Living Standards Coalition: Goldsborough is a member of the Living Standards Coalition. Established in July 2025, the group’s stated aim was to develop and promote policy ideas that directly reduce everyday costs for households, particularly in areas such as food, energy, housing and childcare. In an open letter published upon its founding, addressed to Keir Starmer, the MPs wrote: “Our constituents will ask one question at the next election: did this Labour government make me better off?”

They added: “To raise living standards, we support government interventions that will help to increase incomes and lower costs.”

Welfare

Welfare vote (July 2025): Goldsborough 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

Goldsborough voted against 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): Goldsborough 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.

Palestine

Palestinian recognition letter (July 2025): In July 2025, Goldsborough was among the over 254 MPs to sign a cross-party letter calling for the government to immediately recognise the state of Palestine. The letter called on the prime minister and foreign secretary to recognise Palestine at the UN Conference then taking place in New York.

Before Politics

Goldsborough was born in September 1990 and grew up in Suffolk, attending Newmarket Upper School.

He studied British politics and legislative studies at the University of Hull, graduating in 2015.

Goldsborough worked for Halfords where he became a sales manager.

He worked in the offices of former Labour MPs Jack Dromey and David Hanson.

Goldsborough then held a series of public affairs roles at the Royal Horticultural Society and at the Cathod Du Consultancy.

Personal Life

Goldsborough lives in Snetterton, Norfolk.

In February 2025, Goldsborough disclosed that he had been diagnosed with stage II melanoma. It came after a mole on his arm developed into a lesion.

In April 2026, Goldsborough completed treatment for skin cancer.

He said the experience served as a “reminder of how important it is to take care of our health. Please take the time to check your skin. If you notice any unusual moles skin tags or changes do not ignore them. Speak to your doctor.”

He added: “We also need to take sun safety seriously. Wear a hat. Choose appropriate clothing. Use plenty of sunscreen and reapply it regularly.

“It is not just foreign holidays that put us at risk. We believe my own skin cancer may have been caused by severe sunburn here in Great Yarmouth.”

Trivia

Goldsborough is the first Labour MP elected for South Norfolk since Christopher Mayhew, who held the seat from 1945 to 1950.