Oliver Ryan is the Labour MP for Burnley, having first been elected to parliament at the 2024 general election.

In the 2024 general election, Ryan received 12,598 votes (31.7%). The Liberal Democrat candidate, Gordon Birtwistle, received 9,178 votes (23.1%), while the Conservative candidate, Antony Higginbotham, secured 8,058 votes (20.3%). Ryan was duly elected with a majority of 3,420 votes.

The Burnley constituency, located in Lancashire in North West England, dates back to 1868. Burnley was traditionally a Labour stronghold, held by the party almost continuously from 1935 until 2010. Gordon Birtwistle of the Liberal Democrats held the seat from 2010 to 2015. Antony Higginbotham of the Conservative Party held the seat from 2019 to 2024.

Former Labour leader Arthur Henderson held the seat from 1924 to 1931.

Political Career

Ryan currently serves as a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Hamish Falconer, minister of state (Cabinet Office jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office). A PPS acts as an unpaid parliamentary assistant, providing a link between the senior frontbencher and backbench MPs. The role is widely regarded as the first step on the ministerial ladder. Although they cannot speak for the government in debates, a PPS is bound by collective responsibility and becomes part of the so-called “payroll vote”, expected to support the official line in all divisions. Ryan was appointed to this role in July 2026, following the Labour leadership contest and Andy Burnham’s elevation as prime minister.

Ryan served as a PPS in the Department for Health and Social Care from May to July 2026. His appointment to this role was part of a targeted reshuffle designed to stabilise Keir Starmer’s position as prime minister after a series of resignations. At least four PPSs stepped down calling for Starmer to resign or set out a timetable for his departure. The move followed the 2026 local elections and devolved elections to the Scottish Parliament and Senedd Cymru. Conversely, Ryan’s appointment signalled their support for the prime minister.

As such, Ryan was among the over 100 Labour MPs who signed the May 2026 joint statement insisting it was “no time for a leadership contest.”

The statement read: “Last week we had a devastatingly tough set of election results. It shows we have a hard job ahead to win back trust from the electorate.

“That job needs to start today – with all of us working together to deliver the change the country needs.

“We must focus on that. This is no time for a leadership contest.”

In June 2025, Ryan was one of 16 Labour MPs to sign a letter to the foreign secretary, David Lammy, accusing the government of failing to protect the rights of LGBT+ citizens in the British Overseas Territories. The group argued that the absence of legal protections in jurisdictions such as the Turks and Caicos, the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Montserrat constituted a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

According to a PoliticsHome report, the letter described the government’s “inaction on these injustices is not only a violation of the European Convention on Human Rights but, more importantly, a betrayal of the values Britain has long championed on the world stage.”

It added: “By failing to prevent differential treatment of LGBT+ persons in these jurisdictions, which naturally includes British citizens, the UK has allowed a two-tier system of British LGBT+ rights to emerge, in which the promise of equality and dignity extends only to some, not all, of its citizens and territories.”

Ryan previously had the Labour whip suspended in February 2025 over his membership of a WhatsApp group which contained offensive messages. It came after Andrew Gwynne was removed as health minister and suspended from the party for comments made in the WhatsApp group, named Trigger Me Timbers, which included Labour MPs and councillors.

In his statement at the time, Ryan said: “I did not see every message, but I accept responsibility for not being more proactive in challenging what was said.”

He added: “I also made some comments myself which I deeply regret and would not make today and for that, I wholeheartedly apologise.”

Ryan’s suspension was lifted in September 2025.

Ryan has sat as a member of the House of Commons public accounts committee (2024-2025).

Ryan delivered his maiden speech on 30 October 2024 during a debate on the budget.

In it, he said: “Today’s budget set out firmly the foundations of sustainable economic growth that will benefit towns, cities and villages across our nation. The chancellor’s proposals laid down the central groundwork for addressing inequality, investing in our areas and the NHS, and tackling the housing crisis, full-throatedly supporting growth…

“Labour understands that revitalising Britain requires sustained investment in schools, hospitals, industries and infrastructure.”

He added: “We are paying down the overdraft that the Conservatives built up. I still find it the height of irresponsibility that they spent the country’s emergency reserves three times over on what was essentially electioneering”.

Before entering parliament, Ryan served as a Labour councillor on Tameside Metropolitan Borough (2014-2023).

Political views

Leadership elections

Labour deputy leadership 2025: Ryan was one of 175 Labour MPs who nominated Bridget Phillipson 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.

Phillipson, the serving education secretary, was widely viewed as the candidate favoured by Downing Street and the party leadership. She secured 175 nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), comfortably exceeding the 80 required to reach the final ballot. She was ultimately defeated by Lucy Powell.

Factional identity and party tradition

Labour Growth Group: Ryan has been listed as a member of the Labour Growth Group (LGG) – a vocal faction of backbenchers committed to ensuring economic growth remains the central mission of the government. The group, largely composed of MPs from the 2024 intake, positions itself as the voice of “the builders, not the blockers” and provides organised support for ministers taking on politically difficult decisions in the name of economic expansion.

In an open letter addressed to Keir Starmer, issued upon the group’s founding in July 2024, LGG MPs said it was imperative that “the government grasps the nettle and goes for growth”.

They added: “This absolutely has to start with the sweeping planning reforms to get Britain building again. Under the Tories, planning permissions for new homes hit record lows and housebuilding cratered. Indeed, not once in their 14 years in power did the Conservatives meet their housing targets.

“Energy and transport projects were promised but not built. That’s why we are writing to you to make clear that it’s in the national interest to start delivering on our manifesto promise, including 1.5 million more homes across this parliament at the earliest opportunity.

“A failure to act will not be forgiven by the public. Britain has a housing crisis and a huge infrastructure deficit – without strong and immediate action, this will only worsen.”

Usdaw: Ryan 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.

Assisted dying

Ryan 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): Ryan 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.

Before Politics

Oliver David Ryan was born in Manchester on 22 April 1995.

He studied history and politics at the University of Manchester, graduating in 2016.

Ryan later obtained a postgraduate qualification in law from the University of Law.  

Ryan held a series of public affairs and advisory roles before entering frontline politics.

Personal Life

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

Trivia

Ryan joined the Labour Party at the age of 15.