Upon speaking to Exeposé at the Student Publication Association National Conference held in Exeter’s very own Sandy Park this April, Chris Curtis MP described the clear priorities he has for his constituency and for the current government – as well as his very steady views on Exeter’s student nightlife.
New MP in a New Government
Chris entered parliament in arguably a very exciting time, being a new MP in the first Labour government since 2010. When asked what his experience was during this moment of his career, he joked, “You spend the first two weeks finding your way around (the Houses of Parliament).” Joking aside, he states that the party and government were “full of new energy and new ideas across our politics.”
He was particularly keen to share the importance of diversity within this new government, as “in any career it’s important to have a variety of people.” From veterans, journalists, lawyers and councillors, Chris said this diversity was mirrored in Starmer’s Labour government. Chris explicitly believes that this government marks an important stance in the history of British politics, and he is very proud to be part of a government that has the opportunity to get this country out of turmoil.
Current Work in Parliament
When asked what he’s working on in Parliament at the moment, Chris Curtis tells us about the success of the “Labour Growth Group”, the largest group of Labour backbenchers in the current Parliament, who believe that the biggest problem since the Great Financial Crash has been the failing economy in the UK – and thus, working around the clock to fix this.
“It is really important that this government gets us out of this ‘doom-loop’ we’ve been in” – Chris adds, emphasising that his work aims to highlight the importance of fixing public services and the increasing pressures they have been facing under Conservative rule. Ultimately, Chris states that growing our economy is the best way forward for our country, regardless of what each constituency’s personal priorities are.
“You spend the first two weeks finding your way around (the Houses of Parliament).”
On Higher Education
Upon being asked about the biggest barriers to higher education currently, as well as the possible solutions to these, the Milton Keynes North MP tells us that “we need to make sure that universities are putting their focus onto getting more working-class kids admitted”. He adds that many institutions around the country still prioritise the well-off, even if it is subconscious, and highlights the importance of changing this.
Following up, Chris states that this can be done through universities reaching out to more schools in more working-class areas to gain interest. Yet, he states that the biggest barrier to keeping the working-class in higher education is also the lack of appropriate mental health support, especially in a post-pandemic era. “For universities to be accessible to more people, mental health services must improve”, the Labour MP elaborates.
Chris Curtis’ own experience with accessing mental health support at Exeter has been overall positive, but he emphasises his awareness that “this is not true for all students” and still needs significant improvement.
Journey from Exeter to Becoming an MP:
Since graduating from the University of Exeter in 2015, studying Politics and Economics, Chris has swept his way through the political sphere. A keen advocate of the campus nightclub, the Lemon Grove, and a founding settler of Duryard Halls, it was a career talk in his final year that inspired him to pursue a career in politics.
Meeting Joe Twyman, Head of Political Research at YouGov, was the moment he decided he wanted to enter the field of political polling and research. Chris commented that “he (Joe Twyman) was very rude to me. He threw a pack of cards at my head and insulted my jumper, and I thought that’s the kind of guy I want to work for.” In the months following his encounter with Joe Twyman, Chris joined his summer school in Essex, learning about the skills of being a Pollster. Soon after, he applied for an internship at YouGov, working through positions there for five years. Finalising his career at the firm Opinion, Chris became Head of Political Research.
During his time as a political researcher, Chris became heavily involved with the Labour Party, specifically in the years following the upsetting result in the 2019 General Election. Throughout this period, Chris supported Keir Starmer’s leadership journey, helping with the strategic plan from the centre-left to regain control of the party. Following on from the Corbyn years and Kier Starmer’s election, his work took him into researching how the party can appeal to wider audiences across the nation.
“For universities to be accessible to more people, mental health services must improve”
About Pursuing a Career in Politics
Many students are currently inspired to get into governmental roles, with International Relations and Politics university programmes significantly increasing in popularity between 2011/12 and 2022/23 – Chris Curtis tells us that there is a plethora of options regarding entering the sphere, all of which depend on your interests. Curtis describes that many MPs nowadays do something else before entering politics, and highlights that this is useful for current and upcoming students wishing to enter government.
Furthermore, Chris emphasises that joining a political party and getting involved with local campaigns and elections is crucial, for “our democracy is built from the support of volunteers”.
Role as an MP and Within His Constituency:
“Put your money where your mouth is,” is what Chris decided to do after all his work within the Labour Party, becoming a Parliamentary Candidate for Milton Keynes North. Following a successful election in 2024, Chris was elected as the first MP for his constituency to be born and raised in the area.
Whilst talking to Chris, it became clear that his constituency was at the core of his mission of serving as a Member of Parliament. In his eyes, Milton Keynes is “Britain’s most successful new town,” created in the 1960s under Harold Wilson. Having been born and raised in Milton Keynes, Chris has ambitious plans for prospering his consistency. In our conversation, he made a direct comparison of his ambitions with the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, stating, “his cancer diagnosis makes him more determined to fix the NHS.”
Chris’s ambitions particularly lie within economic issues facing the country. He recalled to us the situation during his childhood, where his house was spacious and comfortable, and his parents could afford to buy it. His economic concerns for his constituents lie within the current housing crisis, where he says, “wages have been stagnant for far too long, and house prices have consistently risen.” Chris wants a legacy of sealing a more secure housing market, one he can proudly talk to his grandchildren about.
Role of (Student) Journalism in Being an MP
To Chris Curtis, journalists help to improve democracy and fight for freedom of speech, which many countries now lack. Thus, he says that we must stand by independent and free journalism in this country to preserve true democracy.
When asked about the role of journalists in his job, the Labour MP described that “it is so important that they (journalists) hold politicians, like myself, to account”. Later, he adds that “without a free and independent press, democracy dies […] even if it causes us difficulties”.
Better mental health support for students and the rest of the public through improvements in the NHS, supporting innovation and student start-ups, and “building homes that we need while fixing the economy” are the top three priorities for Chris Curtis moving forward.
“His economic concerns for his constituents lie within the current housing crisis, where he says, “wages have been stagnant for far too long, and house prices have consistently risen.”
The MP wrapped up the interview by telling us he would love to see the campus nightclub Lemon Grove make a comeback, outlining that during his time, people used to queue all the way to the bottom of Forum Hill to get in.
Let the Lemmy re-emergence campaign roll – it’s Labour-backed, evidently!
Learn more about Chris Curtis’ current work on his website: https://www.chriscurtismp.co.uk
