Neil O'Brien
Conservative · Harborough, Oadby and Wigston
FULL PROFILENeil O'Brien is the Conservative MP for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, first elected in 2017. He is 47 years old. As an opposition MP, they are expected to vote against the government on most whipped divisions.
Ideology
Voting Behaviour
Key Interests
Immigration and asylum policy · Healthcare and public health · Education policy · Government transparency and accountability · Children's welfare and services
Positions
Immigration — Supports stricter immigration controls and asylum system
strong
Healthcare — Advocates for improved NHS services and public health funding
strong
Education — Supports school choice and questions higher education regulation
moderate
Government accountability — Opposes excessive ministerial powers and supports transparency
moderate
Brexit/EU relations — Opposes further European integration
moderate
Children's services — Supports improved services for vulnerable children
moderate
Public spending — Questions efficiency of welfare spending and government costs
moderate
Fuel duty — Criticizes government inconsistency on fuel duty policy
weak
Notable Rebellions
2024-01-17 — Voted for amendments to strengthen the Rwanda asylum bill, likely seeking tougher measures than the government proposed
2024-01-16 — Part of series of rebellions on Rwanda bill amendments, pushing for stronger immigration controls
2024-01-16 — Continued rebellion on Rwanda bill, demonstrating commitment to tougher asylum policies than government position
Reasoning Style
Data-driven and forensic in approach, frequently uses detailed statistics and specific examples to make arguments. Combines pragmatic constituency concerns with ideological positions, particularly on immigration and sovereignty issues. Uses parliamentary questions extensively to gather evidence for policy critiques.
Background
O'Brien has a background in policy research and think tank work, having been involved in policy development before entering Parliament. His detailed questioning style and focus on data-driven analysis suggests experience in research and policy analysis roles.