Rachael Maskell | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament forYork Central | |
| Assumed office 7 May 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Hugh Bayley |
| Majority | 19,154 (44.1%) |
| Shadow cabinet portfolios | |
| 2020–2020 | Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Rights |
| 2016–2017 | Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1972-07-05)5 July 1972 (age 53) Winchester,Hampshire, England |
| Political party | Labour Co-op |
| Alma mater | University of East Anglia (BSc) |
| Website | Official website |
Rachael Helen Maskell (born 5 July 1972) is a BritishLabour and Co-operative politician who has served asMember of Parliament (MP) forYork Central since2015. She wasShadow Environment Secretary from 2016 to 2017 andShadow Employment Secretary in 2020.
Rachael Maskell was born inWinchester, and was brought up inHighcliffe-on-Sea.[1] She was influenced to take an interest in politics by her uncle Terence Morris, a close associate ofLouis Blom-Cooper, who was a professor of criminology and criminal justice at theLondon School of Economics.[1] Morris had campaigned for the abolition of thedeath penalty, in addition to serving as an adviser to theWilson government and as an academic.[2]
Maskell graduated from theUniversity of East Anglia with a degree inphysiotherapy in 1994.[3] She worked as a care-worker and physiotherapist in theNational Health Service for 20 years inNorwich and theLondon Borough of Barnet.[1] Maskell has also been a trade-union official.[4][5]
In2006, Maskell stood as aLabour candidate for the Blackheath ward inLewisham, south east London, but was unsuccessful.[6]
At the2015 general election, Maskell was elected to Parliament as MP forYork Central with 42.4% of the vote and a majority of 6,716.[7][8] Maskell used hermaiden speech to advocate a new mental health hospital in York to replace the ageingBootham Park.[9] Speaking of the vision of "[the] late member forEbbw Vale"Aneurin Bevan, she said that "the growing social and financial inequalities manifest themselves in health inequality, and access to vital services is delayed and even denied as a direct result of the £3 billion structural reorganisation that the previous Government introduced."[10]
On Wednesday 8 July 2015, Maskell was one of four Labour MPs elected to theHealth Select Committee.[11]
In September 2015, during theEuropean refugee crisis, Maskell called on the UK to open its doors to refugees.[12] Speaking as 20,000 refugees arrived in Munich in one weekend,[13] and as the German Government received 800,000 refugees in 2015,[14] Maskell said that the UK Government must do more. She questionedDavid Cameron in the House of Commons asking "what criteria has the Prime Minister used to arrive at a figure of just six refugees per constituency per year?"[15] She urged local authorities to help in every way they could and to use every space they had to offer to aid people fleeing war in Syria and Northern Iraq.[16]
Maskell spoke in the Trade-Union Bill 2nd Reading debate on 14 September 2015. She referred the house to her Register of Interests as a member ofUnite the Union and declared "I am a proud trade-unionist" – she subsequently voted against the Bill.[17]
Following a period working part of the Shadow Defence Team under Shadow Secretary of State for DefenceMaria Eagle,[18] Maskell was appointed Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary as part of the Labour Party's post-Brexit reshuffle.[19] Maskell resigned from her position ahead of the vote on the second reading in the House of CommonsEuropean Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill 2017 triggeringArticle 50, which carried a three-line whip imposed on Labour MPs.[20]
Maskell was re-elected as MP for York Central at the snap2017 general election with an increased vote share of 65.2% and an increased majority of 18,575.[21][22]
She returned to the Labour front bench on 3 July 2017 as Shadow Rail Minister.[23]
On 5 March 2019, Maskell joined a dozen other Labour MPs onWestminster Bridge, next to theHouses of Parliament, in a protest againstBrexit under the banner "Love Socialism Hate Brexit".[24]
She was one of five Labour MPs to vote against the extension of abortion rights to Northern Ireland.[25] During votes on the same bill, she also abstained on extending same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland.[26][non-primary source needed]
At the2019 general election, Maskell was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 55.2% and a decreased majority of 13,545.[27][28]
Maskell endorsedClive Lewis in the2020 Labour Party leadership election.[29][30] In January 2020, Maskell was returned to the Shadow Cabinet asShadow Secretary of State for Employment Rights, replacingLaura Pidcock, who lost her seat in the2019 general election.[31]
On 14 December 2021, Maskell resigned from her frontbench role in order to defy the party whip by voting against mandatoryCOVID-19 vaccinations forNHS staff.[32] She also voted in line with the party whip by voting in favour ofCOVID-19 vaccine passports and an expansion ofmask mandates.[33][34][non-primary source needed]
On 22 June 2022, Maskell was the only Labour MP to vote against extension of abortion services in Northern Ireland.[35][non-primary source needed]
In 2023 Maskell suggested that English local councils should introduce maximum speed limits of 10mph in residential areas.[36]
At the2024 general election, Maskell was again re-elected, with an increased vote share of 56.6% and an increased majority of 19,154.[37][38][39]
Maskell, in her capacity as chair of the Dying WellAPPG, became the leading voice againstKim Leadbeater's proposed assisted dying bill.[40] She opposes her party's decision to introduceVAT onprivate school fees, believing that the policy will affect children with special needs.[41]
On 5 November 2024, Maskell tabled anearly day motion calling for the introduction of a "Gaza Family Visa Scheme" based on the Ukraine Family Scheme, which would allow those affected by theGaza war to seek refuge in the UK.[42][non-primary source needed]
On 16 July 2025, Maskell was suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party and had the whip withdrawn following repeated breaches of party discipline, including leading a rebellion against proposed welfare reforms and voting against the final bill despite concessions from the leadership.[43] Following her suspension, Maskell stated that her decision to vote against the bill was based on conscience and concern for constituents affected by the reforms. She described herself as "Labour to the core" and expressed disappointment rather than anger. In interviews, she emphasised her belief in constructive dialogue and indicated she had spoken with the Chief Whip about a possible return to the party. Maskell also questioned the disciplinary process, suggesting that engagement with backbenchers could strengthen party unity.[44]
On 7 November 2025, the whip was restored.[45]
Maskell is aChristian.[46] She is a keen cyclist and rode the trip to the 2015 Labour Party Conference inBrighton from Parliament in aid of theBritish Heart Foundation.[47]
So how do I walk that line between my Christian faith and my political affiliation with the Labour and Cooperative Party?
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forYork Central 2015–present | Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 2016–2017 | Succeeded by |
