Bridget Phillipson set to become one of Britain's youngest MPs

Apr 20 2009 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

BRIDGET Phillipson is on course to become one of Britain’s youngest MPs after winning the fight to become Labour’s candidate for the new Houghton and Sunderland South seat.

The 25-year-old from Columbia, Washington, beat off the challenges of Unison regional head of health Liz Twist and former MP Barbara Roche in an all-women shortlist.

Boundary changes being brought in for the next election created the Houghton and Sunderland South seat out of Fraser Kemp’s Houghton and Washington East constituency, plus part of Chris Mullin’s Sunderland South constuency. Both Mr Kemp and Mr Mullin are standing down at the next election. The new seat is expected to be one of the safest Labour seats in England.

The decision to select Ms Phillipson was made at a party meeting held at Herrington Burn YMCA, Houghton-le-Spring on Saturday. Ms Phillipson, the daughter of Claire Phillipson, director of Wearside Women in Need, works as manager of one of the organisation’s women’s refuges.

She said: “Working at the refuge makes me realise how much more needs to be done to help victims of domestic violence.

“Victims come from all walks of life, from a five-bedroom detached house in a leafy suburb to a rundown terraced street.