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Nesil Caliskan is one of the Labour party’s newest MPs after she was elected for the Barking constituency in the July 2024 general election. Nesil has a local government background and her heritage is Turkish-Cypriot. She is viewed as a rising star within the Labour party and was once the youngest council leader in London. She is the first MP of Turkish-Cypriot heritage.
Nesil Caliskan’s story
Nesil Cazimoglu was born on October 27, 1988 in Chase Farm Hospital Enfield, north London into a Turkish-Cypriot Muslim family. Her grandparents Osman and Neriman Tango escaped violence in Cyprus, arriving in London on Christmas Eve in 1972. Nesil’s mum Alev was born in Cyprus in 1967 and was cared for in a United Nations tent. In her maiden speech to parliament, Nesil said: “And the three of them sought safety in the melting pot that is London’s East End. They spoke no English, they had no qualifications and no money, but they were, Mr Deputy Speaker, safe.” She has two sisters and in her maiden speech said they were taught to “always try our best, work hard, look after and care for others when they need our help, be grateful for an education and when we can to find a way to give back.”
She went to Palmers Green Girls High School and joined the Labour Party when she was 15. She studied Politics and International Relations at the University of Reading and graduated in 2010. In 2012, she completed an MSc in Politics and Communication at the London School of Economics (LSE). During her time at university, Nesil was very active in student campaigns, including protests in 2010 over tuition fees and university cuts. She was Vice President responsible for Democracy & Campaigns at Reading University Students’ Union from June 2010 for one year.
She began her career working in policy for pharmaceutical company MSD before working as a Cabinet Support Team at Haringey Council. She worked as a Parliamentary Researcher at the House of Commons for seven months before a longer stint working for the NHS in business support and projects.
Nesil lives in Enfield with her husband and baby daughter born early in 2024.
Nesil Caliskan’s political career
After joining the Labour Party at just aged 15, Nesil became a Labour councillor for Enfield Council in May 2015. In May 2018, she became Leader of Enfield Council, aged just 29, a role she held for six years and five months.
Alongside this, Nesil has held roles including Chair of the Safer and Stronger Communities Board for the Local Government Association, a board member for ReLondon, a partnership of the Mayor of London and the London boroughs to improve waste and resource management and Executive Member roles for London Councils, a 12-member cross-party group. She was also a Board Member for Lee Valley Regional Park Authority.
In 2024, eight candidates ran for the Barking constituency seat after Labour’s Margaret Hodge who held the seat for 30 years stepped down. The seat is a Labour stronghold. Nesil received 16,227 votes (44.5%), Reform’s Clive Peacock got 5,173 votes (14.2%), Green Party’s Simon Anthony 4,988 votes (13.7%) and Conservative Julie Redmond 4,294 votes (11.8%). By winning the seat, Nesil made history as the first ever MP with Turkish-Cypriot heritage.
In her speech at the vote count, she said: “It is time for change in our country and I am so proud to be elected as member of parliament for Barking. I am humbled of course to follow in the footsteps of Margaret Hodge who has served Barking outstandingly for three decades. I pledge to the people of Barking that I will always be on your side, thank you for giving me the honour of being elected as your member of parliament.”
On July 23, 2024, Nesil made her maiden speech in parliament, thanking her husband for being with her “every step of the way”. She paid tribute to Margaret Hodge and her Jewish heritage. She also told the story of her grandparents coming to the UK speaking no English and how their granddaughter becoming a UK MP “shows what is possible in this country and I feel so deeply honoured to be here.”
Nesil Caliskan: MP
Nesil is a member of several committees including the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee.
On September 7, 2025, she was appointed as Comptroller of HM Household (a Government Whip role) under the Cabinet of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. This gives her an influential position within the parliamentary party and government, helping manage legislative business and linking backbenchers with the government.
Her website emphasises her pledges to “stand up for you and be your voice for Barking”.
Nesil Caliskan political priorities
According to her website, Nesil’s political priorities include: local investment and public services. From her local government background she appreciates the importance of strong local services, housing, social care and community safety. Her website highlights education and early-years support for families in Barking and Dagenham. She also shows passion for employment and workers’ rights. Her website celebrates a pay rise for 3,700 workers in Barking & Dagenham thanks to government action. She has also backed public ownership of C2C rail services.
Currently, Nesil states she is working for a better Barking station, which she describes as “a messy building site”. She also wants a GP surgery in Barking Riverside, citing figures that say Barking has 20% more patients than the national average so is being “under served” by the NHS.
In the news in June 2024, Nesil called the decision to close a maternity unit in Barking “unfair”, according to The Standard. In October 2025, she visited the Ripple Community Centre for a MyEnds session. She uses social media including X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube to keep people updated on her work. On Instagram, she has recently praised funding for 2,300 more teachers and called the Gaza ceasefire a “glimmer of hope”. She has also visited Tate and Lyle Refinery in Newham and Barking Bowls Club.
