Sureena Brackenridge

Sureena Brackenridge
MP
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Wolverhampton North East
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byJane Stevenson
Majority5,422 (16.3%)
Mayoress of Wolverhampton
In role
19 May 2021 – 18 May 2022
MayorGreg Brackenridge
Preceded byPaul Darke
Succeeded byKarl Samuels
Personal details
Born1974 or 1975 (age 50–51)
Wednesfield, West Midlands, England
PartyLabour
SpouseGreg Brackenridge
Children2
Occupation
  • Politician
  • Teacher

Sureena Brackenridge (born 1975)[1] is a British Labour Party politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Wolverhampton North East since July 2024.[2][3]

Early life

Sureena Brackenridge was born and raised on the Ashmore Park Council estate in Wednesfield.[1] Her parents, who are of Indian descent, had previously migrated there from Fiji as young adults.[4]

Career

Teaching

Brackenridge obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Wolverhampton.[5] Upon completion, she volunteered at the Molineux Study Centre working with teenagers from severely disadvantaged backgrounds.[5] Following this opportunity, Brackenridge obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Wolverhampton to begin her career as a Chemistry teacher.[5]

Brackenridge worked in local secondary schools as a science teacher, before she became deputy head teacher at Moseley Park school.[6]

Political

Brackenridge was selected as the Labour Party candidate for Wolverhampton North East in November 2022.[7] She was elected as the MP for Wolverhampton North East in the 2024 general election with a majority of 5,422 votes.[2][8] She made her maiden speech on 25 July[4] and was appointed to the Education Select Committee in October 2024.[9]

In November 2024, Brackenridge voted against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.[10]

She has made parliamentary contributions on education, apprenticeship and training issues; supporting Free Breakfast Clubs[11] and VAT on Independent Schools.[12]

Brackenridge backed calls from Jamie Oliver to improve how schools identify and support children with dyslexia.[13] She was among those to contribute to the Channel 4 programme Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution,[14] where she argued the answer was "better teacher training, not an hour after a very busy school day. It's not rocket science, but with a change in culture... we can do this”.[13][14]

In June 2025, Brackenridge led a Public and Westminster Hall debate on deprived / disadvantaged neighbourhoods.[15][16] In September 2025, the government announced the second phase of the ‘Pride in Place / Plan for Neighbourhoods' programme, allocating £3.38 billion targeting these areas.[17] Brackenridge’s constituency received an allocation of the funding.[18]

Personal life

Sureena Brackenridge is married to Greg Brackenridge, who served as the 162nd Mayor of Wolverhampton from 2021 to 2022; Sureena was the Mayoress of Wolverhampton during his tenure.[19] They have two children together.[20]

References

  1. ^ a b Madeley, Peter (2022-11-25). "Wolverhampton deputy headteacher to fight for Labour target seat at next general election". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  2. ^ a b "UK general election results live: Keir Starmer says 'time for us to deliver' as Nigel Farage becomes MP". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  3. ^ "UK Election: Record Number Of Indian-Origin MPs". NDTV.
  4. ^ a b "Code of Conduct and Modernisation Committee Volume 752: debated on Thursday 25 July 2024". UK Parliament Hansard. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c WCR FM, Retrieved From X (2025-04-01). "Inside Tracks with Sureena Brackenridge MP and Tim Beech". WCR FM, Retrieved from X. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
  6. ^ "About". Sureena Brackenridge. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  7. ^ Neame, Katie (2022-11-21). "Six more Labour parliamentary candidates selected over the weekend". LabourList. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  8. ^ "Wolverhampton North East | General Election 2024 | Sky News". election.news.sky.com. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  9. ^ "Education Committee membership appointed - Committees - UK Parliament". committees.parliament.uk. Retrieved 2025-04-05.
  10. ^ "Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Second Reading - Commons' votes in Parliament - UK Parliament". votes.parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 2025-03-29. Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  11. ^ "Breakfast Clubs: Early Adopters - Hansard - UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 2025-10-04. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
  12. ^ "VAT: Independent Schools - Hansard - UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 2025-10-04. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
  13. ^ a b "Wolverhampton MP backs Jamie Oliver dyslexia campaign". BBC News. 2025-06-09. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  14. ^ a b "Jamie's Dyslexia Revolution". Channel 4. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  15. ^ Brackenridge, Sureena (2025-06-03). "Political Opinion: Why I am leading a debate on neighbourhoods in Parliament". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  16. ^ "Westminster Hall - Hansard - UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 2025-09-27. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  17. ^ "Pride in Place Programme phase 2: methodology note". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  18. ^ Andrews, Mark (2025-09-25). "Wolverhampton MP's joy as area secures £20 million funding over next 10 years". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2025-09-27.
  19. ^ "Councillor Brackenridge elected as new Mayor of Wolverhampton | City Of Wolverhampton Council". www.wolverhampton.gov.uk. 2021-05-20. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  20. ^ Madeley, Peter (2022-11-25). "Wolverhampton deputy headteacher to fight for Labour target seat at next general election". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2024-07-25.

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