Baby of the House
Baby of the House is the unofficial title given to the youngest member of a parliamentary house. The term is most often applied to members of the British parliament from which the term originated.[1] The title is named after the Father of the House, which is given to the longest serving member of the British and other parliaments.
Australia
In Australia the term is rarely used. Most MPs and Senators are elected usually only in their thirties and later but some prominent MPs have been elected rather early in life including Prime Ministers Malcolm Fraser and Paul Keating who were both elected at age 25 in 1955 and 1969 respectively. The youngest Baby of the House was Wyatt Roy. He was elected at age 20 in 2010, being the youngest person ever to be elected to an Australian parliament.[2]
The current Baby of the House is Chris Crewther MP (age 32). The current Baby of the Senate is Senator Jordon Steele-John (age 29).[3]
Canada
The youngest-ever elected member of the House of Commons of Canada is Pierre-Luc Dusseault, who was elected at the age of 19 years and 11 months in 2011. Dusseault is the youngest MP in Canadian history and currently serving as well.[4] In the past, MPs such as Sean O'Sullivan, Pierre Poilievre, Andrew Scheer, Claude-André Lachance and Lorne Nystrom have also held the distinction.
The previous youngest current MP was Nicolas Dufour, to represent the riding of Repentigny, Quebec, for the Bloc Québécois; born in June 1987, elected at 21 years and 4 months in age.
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong the term is rarely used. The current baby of the Legislative Council is Au Nok-hin who won in the Hong Kong Island by-election, 2018 after three younger members of the Legislative Council, the youngest-ever elected member Nathan Law, Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus Leung were all disqualified over the oath-taking controversy.
| Elected | Name | Constituency | Party | Age | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | James To | Kowloon Southwest GC | bgcolor="Template:United Democrats of Hong Kong/meta/color"| | United Democrats | 28 |
| 1998 | Bernard Chan | Insurance FC
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #C0C0C0;" data-sort-value="Nonpartisan" | |
Nonpartisan | 33 | |
| 2008 | Chan Hak-kan | New Territories East GC
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" | |
DAB | 32 | |
| 2012 | Steven Ho | Agriculture and Fisheries FC
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" | |
DAB | 32 | |
| 2016 | Nathan Law | Hong Kong Island GC
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #37C8B4;" data-sort-value="Demosisto" | |
Demosisto | 23 | |
| 2016 | Ho Kai-ming | Labour FC
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FF0000;" data-sort-value="HKFTU" | |
FTU | 31 | |
| 2018 (b) | Au Nok-hin | Hong Kong Island GC
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" | |
Independent | 30 |
Hungary
The youngest-ever elected member of the National Assembly is Ilona Burka, who became MP at the age of 19 years, 5 months and 13 days on 12 May 1971, following the 1971 parliamentary election.
| Member | Party | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| style="background-color:Template:Nazi Party/meta/color" | | Károly Wirth | NYKP | 1939–1944 |
| András Kis | MKP | 1944–1945 | |
| András Hegedüs | MKP | 1945 | |
| style="background-color:Template:Independent Smallholders, Agrarian Workers and Civic Party/meta/color" | | István B. Rácz | FKGP | 1945–1947 |
| János Gosztonyi | NPP | 1947–1949 | |
| Etel Kurlik | MDP | 1949–1953 | |
| Mária Inklovics | MDP MSZMP |
1953–1957 | |
| Margit Kaptur | MSZMP | 1957–1958 | |
| Jusztina Csarnai | MSZMP | 1958–1963 | |
| István Ollári | MSZMP | 1963–1967 | |
| István Bartha | MSZMP | 1967–1971 | |
| Ilona Burka | MSZMP | 1971–1975 | |
| Valéria Czégai | MSZMP | 1975–1980 | |
| Ibolya Kovács | MSZMP | 1980–1985 | |
| Márta Danka | MSZMP | 1985–1989 | |
| style="background-color:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color" | | Edit Bödő-Rózsa | Ind. | 1989–1990 |
| style="background-color:Template:Alliance of Free Democrats/meta/color" | | SZDSZ | ||
| style="background-color:Template:Fidesz/meta/color" | | Béla Glattfelder | Fidesz | 1990–1993 |
| style="background-color:Template:Fidesz/meta/color" | | Róbert Répássy | Fidesz | 1993–1994 |
| style="background-color:Template:Hungarian Socialist Party/meta/color" | | László Botka | MSZP | 1994–1998 |
| style="background-color:Template:Hungarian Socialist Party/meta/color" | | János Zuschlag | MSZP | 1998–2002 |
| style="background-color:Template:Fidesz/meta/color" | | Péter Szijjártó | Fidesz | 2002–2006 |
| style="background-color:Template:Hungarian Socialist Party/meta/color" | | László Nagy | MSZP | 2006–2010 |
| style="background-color:Template:Jobbik/meta/color" | | Dóra Dúró | Jobbik | 2010–2018 |
| style="background-color:Template:Politics Can Be Different/meta/color" | | Péter Ungár | LMP | 2018–present |
Iran
- Source:[5]
| Elected | Member | Affiliation | Age when elected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Mohammad Hassannejad | Independent | 31 | |
| 2016 | Fatemeh Hosseini | List of Hope | 30 | |
Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland the term is rarely used, as TDs normally enter the Dáil after a political career in local government, usually only in their thirties and later. The current baby of the Dáil is the Fianna Fáil deputy Jack Chambers (Dublin West), who was 25 years old when elected in February 2016.
The youngest TD of all time was William J. Murphy, elected age 21 years 29 days; the youngest female TD was Kathleen O'Connor, 21 years 7 months.
List of Babies of the Dáil
| Elected | Name | Constituency | Party | Age | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943 | Oliver J. Flanagan | Laois–Offaly
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" | |
Fine Gael | 23 | |
| 1948 | Neil Blaney | Donegal East
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" | |
Fianna Fáil | 26 | |
| 1949 | William J. Murphy | Cork West
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #CC0000;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (Ireland)" | |
Labour | 21 | |
| 1951 | Declan Costello | Dublin North-West
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" | |
Fine Gael | 24 | |
| 1956 | Kathleen O'Connor | Kerry North
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DDFFDD;" data-sort-value="Clann na Poblachta" | |
Clann na Poblachta | 21 | |
| 1957 | Brigid Hogan | Galway South
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" | |
Fine Gael | 24 | |
| 1958 | Anthony Millar | Galway South
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" | |
Fianna Fáil | 23 | |
| 1961 | Lorcan Allen | Wexford
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" | |
Fianna Fáil | 21 | |
| 1965 | Desmond Foley | Dublin County
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" | |
Fianna Fáil | 24 | |
| 1969 | John Bruton | Meath
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" | |
Fine Gael | 22 | |
| 1975 | Máire Geoghegan-Quinn | Galway West
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" | |
Fianna Fáil | 24 | |
| 1975 | Enda Kenny | Mayo West
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" | |
Fine Gael | 24 | |
| 1977 | Síle de Valera | Dublin County Mid
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" | |
Fianna Fáil | 23 | |
| 1979 | Myra Barry | Cork North-East
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" | |
Fine Gael | 22 | |
| 1981 | Ivan Yates | Wexford
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" | |
Fine Gael | 21 | |
| 1984 | Brian Cowen | Laois–Offaly
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" | |
Fianna Fáil | 24 | |
| 1987 | Mary Coughlan | Donegal South-West
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" | |
Fianna Fáil | 21 | |
| 1995 | Mildred Fox | Wicklow
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent (politician)" | |
Independent | 24 | |
| 1997 | Denis Naughten | Longford–Roscommon
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" | |
Fine Gael | 24 | |
| 2002 | Damien English | Meath
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" | |
Fine Gael | 24 | |
| 2007 | Lucinda Creighton | Dublin South-East
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" | |
Fine Gael | 27 | |
| 2011 | Simon Harris | Wicklow
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" | |
Fine Gael | 24 | |
| 2016 | Jack Chambers | Dublin West
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" | |
Fianna Fáil | 25 |
Baby of Seanad Éireann
The youngest senator in Seanad Éireann is Fintan Warfield who was elected as a senator at the age of 24.
Italy
The youngest member of the Chamber of Deputies ever is Enzo Lattuca (PD), elected in 2013 aged 25.
Malawi
The youngest MP in Malawi was Angela Zachepa who was voted in as MP at age 21.[6]
Malaysia
In Malaysia the term is rarely used. Most MPs and Senators are elected usually only in their thirties and later but some prominent MPs have been elected rather early in life including Prime Minister Najib Razak who was elected at 22 years and 6 months in age in 1976. The youngest-ever elected member of the Dewan Rakyat is Prabakaran Parameswaran, who was elected at the age of 22 years and 3 months in 2018. Prabakaran is the youngest MP in Malaysian history and currently serving as well.[7]
In Malaysia, any citizen 21 years of age or older can become a candidate and be elected to the Dewan Rakyat and Dewan Undangan Negeri.[8] Minimum age for the Senator is 30 by constitution.
New Zealand
The term "Baby of the House" is rarely used in New Zealand. The current Baby of the House is Chlöe Swarbrick of the Green Party, who was elected on 24 September 2017 aged 23.[9] Swarbrick succeeded Todd Barclay of the National Party, who had been elected at the 2014 general election at age 24.[10][11]
| Name | Electorate | Party | Date of birth | Became baby | Age | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Stuart-Wortley | Christchurch Country
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" | |
Independent | 16 January 1833 | 1 October 1853 | 20 years, 258 days | |
| Robert Campbell | Oamaru
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" | |
Independent | 8 January 1843 | 6 April 1866 | 23 years, 88 days | |
| Ralph Richardson | Suburbs of Nelson
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" | |
Independent | 1848 | 23 January 1871 | 22 | |
| William Pearson | Ashley
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" | |
Independent | 1854 | 9 December 1881 | 27 | |
| Arthur Rhodes | Gladstone
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #DCDCDC;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" | |
Independent | 20 March 1859 | 26 September 1887 | 28 years, 190 days | |
| Jackson Palmer | Waitemata
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFFFAA;" data-sort-value="Independent Liberal" | |
Independent Liberal | 1867 | 5 December 1890 | 23 | |
| Patrick O'Regan | Inangahua
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFDF00;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Liberal Party" | |
Liberal | 6 February 1869 | 20 December 1893 | 24 years, 317 days | |
| Thomas Wilford | Wellington Suburbs
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFDF00;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Liberal Party" | |
Liberal | 20 June 1870 | 4 December 1896 | 26 years, 167 days | |
| Harry Bedford | City of Dunedin
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFDF00;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Liberal Party" | |
Liberal | 31 August 1877 | 25 November 1902 | 25 years, 86 days | |
| Francis Fisher | Wellington Central
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFDF00;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Liberal Party" | |
Liberal | 22 December 1877 | 6 December 1905 | 27 years, 349 days | |
| Tom Seddon | Westland
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFDF00;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Liberal Party" | |
Liberal | 2 July 1884 | 13 July 1906 | 22 years, 11 days | |
| John A. Lee | Auckland East
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 31 October 1891 | 7 December 1922 | 31 years, 37 days | |
| George Black | Motueka
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #BBFFFF;" data-sort-value="United Party (New Zealand)" | |
United | 21 November 1903 | 14 November 1928 | 24 years, 359 days | |
| Keith Holyoake | Motueka
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #00BB00;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Reform Party" | |
Reform | 11 February 1904 | 1 December 1932 | 28 years, 294 days | |
| Terry McCombs | Lyttelton
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 5 September 1905 | 24 July 1935 | 29 years, 322 days | |
| Ormond Wilson | Rangitikei
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 18 November 1907 | 27 November 1935 | 28 years, 9 days | |
| Joseph Cotterill | Wanganui
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 26 September 1905 | 15 October 1938 | 33 years, 19 days | |
| Tapihana Paraire Paikea | Northern Maori
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 26 January 1920 | 24 September 1943 | 23 years, 241 days | |
| Warren Freer | Mt Albert
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 27 December 1920 | 24 September 1947 | 26 years, 271 days | |
| Jim Edwards | Napier
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 1927 | 13 November 1954 | 27 | |
| Basil Arthur | Timaru
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 18 September 1928 | 21 July 1962 | 33 years, 306 days | |
| Brian MacDonell | Dunedin Central
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 19 May 1935 | 30 November 1963 | 28 years, 195 days | |
| Jonathan Hunt | New Lynn
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 2 December 1938 | 26 November 1966 | 27 years, 359 days | |
| Murray Rose | Otago Central
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #00529F;" data-sort-value="New Zealand National Party" | |
National | 14 December 1939 | 29 November 1969 | 29 years, 350 days | |
| Mike Moore | Eden
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 28 January 1949 | 25 November 1972 | 23 years, 302 days | |
| Marilyn Waring | Raglan
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #00529F;" data-sort-value="New Zealand National Party" | |
National | 7 October 1952 | 29 November 1975 | 23 years, 53 days | |
| Simon Upton | Waikato
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #00529F;" data-sort-value="New Zealand National Party" | |
National | 7 February 1958 | 28 November 1981 | 23 years, 294 days | |
| Nick Smith | Tasman
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #00529F;" data-sort-value="New Zealand National Party" | |
National | 24 December 1964 | 27 October 1990 | 25 years, 307 days | |
| Nanaia Mahuta | List
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 21 August 1970 | 12 October 1996 | 26 years, 52 days | |
| Darren Hughes | Ōtaki
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 3 April 1978 | 27 July 2002 | 24 years, 115 days | |
| Jacinda Ardern | List
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #D82A20;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Labour Party" | |
Labour | 26 July 1980 | 8 November 2008 | 28 years, 105 days | |
| Gareth Hughes | List
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #098137;" data-sort-value="Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand" | |
Green | 31 October 1981 | 11 February 2010 | 28 years, 103 days | |
| Jami-Lee Ross | Botany
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #00529F;" data-sort-value="New Zealand National Party" | |
National | 10 December 1985 | 5 March 2011 | 25 years, 85 days | |
| Todd Barclay | Clutha-Southland
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #00529F;" data-sort-value="New Zealand National Party" | |
National | 8 June 1990 | 20 September 2014 | 24 years, 104 days | |
| Chlöe Swarbrick | List
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #098137;" data-sort-value="Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand" | |
Green | 26 June 1994 | 23 September 2017 | 23 years, 89 days |
Philippines
In the Congress of the Philippines, the term "Baby of the House" is rarely used, nor is being the youngest member of either chamber given special treatment. The minimum age for being a member of the House of Representatives is 25 years old, while for the Senate, it is 35, as stipulated in the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines. In 1933, Benigno Aquino, Sr. became senator at the age of 33;[12] the Jones Law, which created the Senate, had prescribed the minimum age of 30.
South Africa
The current[when?] titleholder is Hlomela Bucwa.
Sweden
| Entered | Name | Constituency | Party | Age | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Gustav Fridolin | Stockholm Municipality
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #2B912C;" data-sort-value="Green Party (Sweden)" | |
Green | 19 | Minister for Education, 2014–present | |
| 2006 | Annie Lööf | Jönköping County
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #124838;" data-sort-value="Centre Party (Sweden)" | |
Centre | 23 | Minister for Enterprise, 2011–2014 | |
| 2010 | Anton Abele | Stockholm Municipality
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #019CDB;" data-sort-value="Moderate Party" | |
Moderate | 18 | ||
| 2014 | Dennis Dioukarev | Jönköping County
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FEDF09;" data-sort-value="Sweden Democrats" | |
Sweden Democrats | 21 | ||
| 2015 | Jesper Skalberg Karlsson | Gotland County
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #019CDB;" data-sort-value="Moderate Party" | |
Moderate | 21 | Replaced Gustaf Hoffstedt on 19 January 2015 | |
| 2018 | Ebba Hermansson | Skåne County
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FEDF09;" data-sort-value="Sweden Democrats" | |
Sweden Democrats | 22 |
The current Baby of the House is Ebba Hermansson (entered in September 2018 at the age of 22). The youngest person ever to be elected MP to a Swedish parliament is Anton Abele who was only aged 18 when elected in September 2010.[13] Current record holder for the world's youngest-ever elected MP is Anton Abele, who was at 18 years elected to the Swedish Parliament for his activism against street violence.[14]
Uganda
At 19 years old, Proscovia Alengot Oromait was the world's youngest MP and youngest ever MP in Africa when elected in 2011. Oromait is a member of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) in Uganda and was a representative of Usuk County until 2016
United Kingdom
Becoming the Baby of the House is regarded as something of an achievement despite the lack of any special treatment that comes with the title. However, some MPs who have held the position for a considerable period – Matthew Taylor was the Baby of the House for over ten years – have found it somewhat embarrassing, as it may suggest that they have a lack of experience, although many holders of the title have gone on to enjoy long and distinguished parliamentary careers.
At the turn of the twenty-first century (August 1999 to September 2001), all three of the leaders of the main political parties had been the youngest MPs in their party when they began their political careers (William Hague, Tony Blair, Charles Kennedy).
Of those whose ages can be verified, the youngest MP since the Reform Act of 1832[15] is Mhairi Black, elected in 2015 aged 20 years 237 days.[16] The age of candidacy for Parliament was lowered from 21 to 18 by the Electoral Administration Act of 2006. William Pitt the Younger was elected at 21 and became Prime Minister two years later in 1783.
List of Babies of the House of Commons
| Elected | Name | Constituency | Party | Age when elected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 (b) | James Dickson | Dungannon
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | 21 | |
| 1885 | Harry Levy-Lawson | St Pancras West
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | 22 | |
| 1888 (b) | Lord Walter Gordon-Lennox | Chichester
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 22 | |
| 1890 (b) | Henry Harrison | Mid Tipperary
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #99FF66;" data-sort-value="Irish Parliamentary Party" | |
Irish Parliamentary | 22 | |
| 1891 (b) | Victor Cavendish | West Derbyshire
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 23 | |
| 1891 (b) | Frederick Smith | Strand
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 23 | |
| 1892 | Thomas Bartholomew Curran | Kilkenny City
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #00FA9A;" data-sort-value="Irish National Federation" | |
Irish National Federation | 22 | |
| 1895 | Viscount Milton | Wakefield
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #2061A2;" data-sort-value="Liberal Unionist Party" | |
Liberal Unionist | 22 | |
| 1898 (b) | Sir Samuel Scott, Bt | Marylebone West
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 24 | |
| 1898 (b) | Arthur Hill | West Down
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 24 | |
| 1900 | Richard Rigg | Appleby
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | 23 | |
| 1904 (b) | Viscount Turnour | Horsham
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 21 | |
| 1906 | Lord Wodehouse | Mid Norfolk
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | 22 | |
| 1910 | Charles Thomas Mills | Uxbridge
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 22 | |
| 1910 | Viscount Wolmer | Newton
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | 23 | |
| 1912 (b) | Sir Philip Sassoon, Bt | Hythe
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 23 | |
| 1915 (b) | John Esmonde | North Tipperary
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #99FF66;" data-sort-value="Irish Parliamentary Party" | |
Irish Parliamentary | 21 | |
| 1916 (b) | Patrick Joseph Whitty | North Louth
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #99FF66;" data-sort-value="Irish Parliamentary Party" | |
Irish Parliamentary | 21 | |
| 1917 (b) | Lord Stanley | Liverpool Abercromby
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 22 | |
| 1918[17] | Joseph Aloysius Sweeney | West Donegal
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #326760;" data-sort-value="Sinn Féin" | |
Sinn Féin | 21 | |
| 1919 (b) | Esmond Harmsworth | Isle of Thanet
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Coalition Conservative" | |
Coalition Conservative | 21 | |
| 1922 | Arthur Evans | Leicester East
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFF890;" data-sort-value="National Liberal Party (UK, 1922)" | |
National Liberal | 24 | |
| 1923 | Charles Rhys | Romford
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 24 | |
| 1924 | Hugh Lucas-Tooth | Isle of Ely
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 21 | |
| 1929 (b) | Jennie Lee | North Lanarkshire
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | 24 | |
| 1929 | Frank Owen | Hereford
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | 23 | |
| 1931 | Roland Robinson | Widnes
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 24 | |
| 1933 (b) | Lord Willoughby de Eresby | Rutland and Stamford
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 25 | |
| 1935 (b) | Charles Taylor | Eastbourne
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 24 | |
| 1935 | Malcolm Macmillan | Western Isles
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | 22 | |
| 1940 (b) | John Profumo | Kettering
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 25 | |
| 1941 (b) | George Charles Grey | Berwick-upon-Tweed
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | 22 | |
| 1944[18] | John Profumo | Kettering
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 29 | |
| 1945 (b) | Ernest Millington | Chelmsford
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #ff7f50;" data-sort-value="Common Wealth Party" | |
Common Wealth | 29 | |
| 1945 | Edward Carson | Isle of Thanet
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 25 | |
| 1948 (b) | Roy Jenkins | Southwark Central
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | 27 | |
| 1950 | Peter Baker | South Norfolk
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 28 | |
| 1950 (b)[19] | Tony Benn | Bristol South East
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | 25 | |
| 1950 (b) | Thomas Teevan | Belfast West
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #48A5EE;" data-sort-value="Ulster Unionist Party" | |
UUP | 23 | |
| 1951[20] | Tony Benn | Bristol South East
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | 26 | |
| 1954 (b) | John Eden | Bournemouth West
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 28 | |
| 1954 (b) | John Woollam | Liverpool West Derby
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 27 | |
| 1955[21] | Philip Clarke | Fermanagh and South Tyrone
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #326760;" data-sort-value="Sinn Féin" | |
Sinn Féin | 21 | |
| 1955[21] | Peter Kirk | Gravesend
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 27 | |
| 1956 (b) | Marcus Kimball | Gainsborough
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 27 | |
| 1957 (b) | Robert Cooke | Bristol West
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 26 | |
| 1958 (b)[22] | Basil de Ferranti | Morecambe and Lunesdale
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 28 | |
| 1958 (b) | Patrick Wolrige-Gordon | East Aberdeenshire
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 23 | |
| 1959 (b) | Paul Channon | Southend West
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 23 | |
| 1964 | Teddy Taylor | Glasgow Cathcart
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 27 | |
| 1965 (b) | David Steel | Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | 26 | |
| 1966 | John Ryan | Uxbridge
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | 25 | |
| 1967 (b) | Les Huckfield | Nuneaton
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | 24 | |
| 1969 (b) | Bernadette Devlin | Mid Ulster
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: olive;" data-sort-value="Unity (Northern Ireland)" | |
Unity | 21 | |
| Feb 1974 | Dafydd Elis-Thomas | Merioneth
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #005B54;" data-sort-value="Plaid Cymru" | |
Plaid Cymru | 27 | |
| Oct 1974 | Hélène Hayman | Welwyn and Hatfield
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | 25 | |
| 1977 (b) | Andrew MacKay | Birmingham Stechford
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 27 | |
| 1979 (b) | David Alton | Liverpool Edge Hill
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | 28 | |
| 1979 | Stephen Dorrell | Loughborough
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 27 | |
| 1981 (b)[23] | Bobby Sands | Fermanagh and South Tyrone
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #008800;" data-sort-value="Anti H-Block" | |
Anti H-Block | 27 | |
| 1981[18] | Stephen Dorrell | Loughborough
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 29 | |
| 1981 (b)[23] | Owen Carron | Fermanagh and South Tyrone
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #008800;" data-sort-value="Anti H-Block" | |
Anti H-Block | 28 | |
| 1983 | Charles Kennedy | Ross, Cromarty and Skye
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #6C2f56;" data-sort-value="Social Democratic Party (UK)" | |
SDP | 23 | |
| 1987 (b) | Matthew Taylor | Truro
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FFD700;" data-sort-value="Liberal Party (UK)" | |
Liberal | 24 | |
| 1997[24] | Chris Leslie | Shipley
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | 24 | |
| 2000 (b) | David Lammy | Tottenham
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | 27 | |
| 2003 (b) | Sarah Teather | Brent East
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FAA61A;" data-sort-value="Liberal Democrats (UK)" | |
Liberal Democrats | 29 | |
| 2005 | Jo Swinson | East Dunbartonshire
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FAA61A;" data-sort-value="Liberal Democrats (UK)" | |
Liberal Democrats | 25 | |
| 2009 (b) | Chloe Smith | Norwich North
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Conservative Party (UK)" | |
Conservative | 27 | |
| 2010 | Pamela Nash | Airdrie and Shotts
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" | |
Labour | 25 | |
| 2015 | Mhairi Black | Paisley and Renfrewshire South
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FDF38E;" data-sort-value="Scottish National Party" | |
SNP | 20 |
[ (b) – by-election]
Baby of the House of Lords
As of 2017[update], the youngest member of the House of Lords is The Baroness Bertin (born 14 March 1978) who was created a life peer on 2 September 2016, at the age of 38.[25] Hereditary peer Lord Redesdale (born 18 July 1967) was created a life peer on 18 April 2000 at the age of 32, becoming the youngest ever life peer, to enable him to continue to sit after the removal of the majority of hereditary peers.
Standing Orders state that "No Lord under the age of one and twenty years shall be permitted to sit in the House". When most members of the Lords were hereditary peers, a peer who had inherited his or her peerage(s) while under age was entitled to take a seat on his or her 21st birthday. In theory, such a hereditary peer could be elected to sit in the House at that age; in practice, the youngest hereditary peer is Lord Freyberg (born 15 December 1970), who was elected in October 1999 at the age of 28.
List of youngest members of the Scottish Parliament
This is a list of youngest members of the Scottish Parliament created in 1999.
| Elected | Name | Constituency/region | Party | Age when elected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Duncan Hamilton | Highlands and Islands region
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FDF38E;" data-sort-value="Scottish National Party" | |
SNP | 25[26] | |
| 2003 | Richard Baker | North East Scotland region
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Scottish Labour Party" | |
Labour | 28 | |
| 2007 | John Lamont | Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #0087DC;" data-sort-value="Scottish Conservatives" | |
Conservative | 31 | |
| 2011 | Humza Yousaf | Glasgow region
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #FDF38E;" data-sort-value="Scottish National Party" | |
SNP | 26 | |
| 2016 | Ross Greer | West Scotland region
style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #00B140;" data-sort-value="Scottish Green Party" | |
Scottish Green | 21 |
United States
While the term is used in the Commonwealth Parliaments, Baby of the House or Senate is not in general contemporary use in the United States, nor does being the youngest member confer special treatment in either house of Congress.
Members of the US Congress tend to be older than parliamentarians elsewhere in the English-speaking world, a main factor being that the minimum ages for members of Congress is written into Article One of the United States Constitution, which forbids those under the age of 25 from serving in the House, and those under the age of 30 from serving in the Senate. Moreover, election to the federal Congress is expensive and requires extensive contacts and recognition across a very wide area. Individuals aiming to serve in the federal legislature generally seek election to the state legislature (which generally have lower minimum ages for entry) or other state office before seeking to serve in Washington.
In the 115th Congress, which began on 3 January 2017, the youngest member of the United States House of Representatives is Elise Stefanik, who was born on 2 July 1984, and was first elected in 2014. She is also the youngest woman elected to the House in U.S. history. She is five days younger than the second youngest member, Conor Lamb, who was elected in a 2018 special election.
Currently the youngest US Senator is Tom Cotton, born on 13 May 1977, and first elected in 2014; Cory Gardner is the second youngest senator, and Chris Murphy is the third youngest.
See also
Notes
- ^ of the House: House of Commons Background Paper – Commons Library Standard Note from UK Parliament, accessed on 1 January 2015.
- ^ "Australia's youngest MP says future PM suggestion is 'ridiculous'". news.com.au. 4 October 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
- ^ "Jordon Steele-John, the 'political nerd' who is ringing the changes". The Guardian. 11 November 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
- ^ Banerjee, Sidhartha (4 May 2011). "19-year-old sets record as youngest MP; NDPer planned summer job at golf course". The Canadian Press.
- ^ Nasrin Vaziri. "اعضای هیات رئیسه سنی در 10 مجلس شورای اسلامی/چهار رئیس سنی تا کنون درگذشتهاند" (in Persian). Khabar Online. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 1 July 2010. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Malaysia's youngest MP Prabakaran joins PKR". Malay Mail. 13 May 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
- ^ "Penjalanan Pilihan Raya: Calon". Election Commission of Malaysia. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
- ^ "Chloe Swarbrick, 23, set to become NZ's youngest MP in 42 years". The New Zealand Herald. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
- ^ Rutherford, Hamish (29 April 2014). "Who is National's Todd Barclay?". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
- ^ "Election 2014: Southland decides". The Southland Times. 20 September 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ^ "FAST FACTS: Trivia on the Philippine Senate". Rappler. 16 October 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
- ^ Anton, 18, to be youngest ever Swedish MP – The Local Archived 15 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Prior to 1832 minors could be elected; precise information on those MPs is often unclear.
- ^ MacAskill, Ewen; Ratcliffe, Rebecca (8 May 2015). "Mhairi Black: the 20-year-old who beat a Labour heavyweight". Retrieved 6 January 2018 – via www.theguardian.com.
- ^ Joseph Aloysius Sweeney did not take his seat; the youngest MP actually sitting in the House of Commons was Oswald Mosley (Conservative, aged 22).
- ^ a b Became the youngest MP for a second time, on the death of the previous youngest MP.
- ^ Tony Benn was first elected at the Bristol South East by-election, 1950, aged 25, the day after Thomas Teevan, who was aged 23, but Benn took the oath the day before Teevan, and so was Baby of the House for a single day.
- ^ Tony Benn became the youngest MP again after the 1951 general election, on the defeat of Teevan.
- ^ a b Elected on an abstentionist ticket, Philip Clarke did not take his seat. Peter Kirk was first elected at the 1955 general election, when he became the youngest MP to take his seat, but only became the youngest MP with the disqualification of Philip Clarke later in the year.
- ^ Basil de Ferranti was the youngest MP for 15 days between his taking his seat after the Morecambe and Lunesdale by-election, 1958 and Patrick Wolrige-Gordon taking his seat after the East Aberdeenshire by-election, 1958.
- ^ a b Elected on an abstentionist ticket, Bobby Sands and Owen Carron did not take their seats; Stephen Dorrell remained the youngest MP actually sitting in the House of Commons.
- ^ Although several sources claim Claire Ward was the youngest MP during this period, she was 50 days older than Chris Leslie.
- ^ Parliament.UK – House of Lords FAQS – Membership and principal office holders at parliament.uk
- ^ McColm, Euan (8 March 2017). "This time the SNP will get real". The Scotsman. Retrieved 16 April 2018.