Show Notes
Steve Race MP, Labour MP for Exeter, joins 650 for a deeply personal conversation about grief, family, identity and the path to Parliament.
Raised in a council house near Hull, Steve talks about the lasting impact of his sister’s life and death from Hurler syndrome, his mother’s fight to secure the right care and opportunities for her, and why those experiences made the NHS and advocacy central to his politics.
He discusses coming out in the 1990s, moving to Manchester for university, working for Ben Bradshaw MP, LGBTQ+ representation and the renewed pressure on minority rights. Steve also shares his views on class, social mobility, casework, Exeter, and the balance between representing a constituency and acting on national and international responsibilities.
650 is a podcast about the people behind the politics, with one mission: to interview all 650 MPs. Follow, rate and subscribe wherever you listen. Instagram/X: @650podcast TikTok: @650.podcast www.650podcast.com
More from 650 Podcast
Edward Morello, Liberal Democrat MP for West Dorset, joins 650 for a conversation about family history, door-to-door sales, overturning the Conservatives' 139-year winning streak in West Dorset, and the reality of life in Westminster.
Chris Kane, Labour MP for Stirling and Strathallan, joins 650 for a conversation about family history, community, public service and the path from local radio to Westminster.
Natasha Irons MP joins 650 to discuss the story behind her path to Parliament. The Labour MP for Croydon East reflects on her grandparents arriving from Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation, growing up in South London, and how social housing gave her family the stability and dignity to build a future. Natasha talks about the moment she first felt politics could be for someone like her, her 15 years working in television marketing at Channel 4, becoming a local councillor, and why she eventually decided to stand for Parliament. She also shares the reality of balancing Westminster with raising two young children, the intensity of election campaigns, her belief in the importance of local government, and what she hopes to achieve for young people and her community. 650 is a podcast project with one mission: to interview all 650 MPs and create a portrait of the people behind power. www.650podcast.com. Instagram/X: @650podcast TikTok: @650.podcast
Labour MP Vicky Foxcroft on childhood abuse, caravans and bedsits, constant new schools, and the path from all of it to a seat in the House of Commons. Vicky Foxcroft has been the Labour MP for Lewisham North since 2015, but her route to Parliament was anything but conventional.
Jeevun Sandher has been Labour MP for Loughborough since 2024. He is a standout member of the 2024 intake. He wanted to tackle poverty and make the world a better place. His route into that mission was economics. After studying the subject, he went on to work at the Treasury and in Somaliland. He then gave up his successful career as an economist to pursue a lifelong ambition: becoming an MP. He is also, as far as we know, the only MP elected this Parliament to have married another sitting MP, and yes, politics comes up at home. In this episode, Jeevun speaks candidly about the extraordinary demands of political life, the sacrifices involved in being an MP, and the darker side of public office. He recounts how a social media post about putting up flags was seized on by the far right, leading to police involvement and leaving him genuinely worried for his family’s safety. Follow 650 for more people, less politics. Website --> www.650podcast.com Instagram Facebook TikTok X Youtube