More than half of the Labour MPs elected in July were completely new to the job, including red wall reclaimers, a Westminster wunderkind and slayers of the biggest Tory beasts. We catch up with them on their first two months

As the Labour party conference gets under way in Liverpool today, one of the most striking outcomes of the 2024 election will be on full display: more than half of the Labour MPs elected in July – 231 out of 411 – are completely new to the job.

For many of them, the past 11 weeks have been a tornado of activity as they try to set up offices and hire staff while contending with overflowing inboxes and adapting to some of the odder features of their new workplace, from bobbing in the chamber to jarring sound effects in the halls. Even those familiar with Westminster life are still getting lost in the maze of corridors.

People on the street would hug me and say: “Our sister is going to win”

I have a very different experience of some of the issues in society right now