A British Labour MP of Turkish Cypriot origin, 37-year-old Nesil Caliskan, has been appointed as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Cabinet reshuffle.
In a post on social media, she said it was an honour to accept the appointment, pledging to work tirelessly.
It is an honour to accept the appointment as the Minister for Housing, Communities, and Local Government.
— Nesil Caliskan (@Nesil_Caliskan) May 13, 2026
I will work tirelessly to deliver the government’s agenda and will continue to represent my constituents in #Barking & Dagenham. pic.twitter.com/A86lzmeU7M
Caliskan was elected as the Labour MP for Barking in east London in the 2024 general election, becoming the first MP of Turkish Cypriot origin to enter the House of Commons.
Born in Enfield-Edmonton, Caliskan began her political career at a young age with the Labour Party. She graduated with a degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Reading and later completed a master’s degree in Politics and Communication at the London School of Economics.
Before entering frontline politics, she worked for the National Health Service (NHS) for several years. In 2015, she was elected as a councillor in Enfield and, in 2018, at the age of 29, became mayor of the borough, earning recognition as the youngest female mayor in London, according to Turkish Cypriot media reports.
