About

Mary Kelly Foy is the Member of Parliament for the City of Durham, having first been elected in 2019. A proud trade unionist, Mary is a member of both Unite the Union and Unison.

Mary is the granddaughter of Irish immigrants, and was born and raised in the North East. She has spent her whole life working in the area and spent the 13 years prior to becoming an MP representing people as a councillor in Gateshead, with responsibility for health and well-being.

Alongside this, Mary, as a development worker at the Durham City District CVS, spent many years helping community and voluntary groups in Durham to develop and fund projects that were important to their area.

She was also a carer for her daughter for 27 years. This experience means Mary understands the issues that our communities are facing.

In the three and a half years since being elected as MP for the City of Durham, Mary has supported just under 4,000 constituents to resolve issues they have faced, and she has also responded to around 8,000 email enquiries relating to policy matters.

In Durham, Mary has:

  • Hosted bespoke events with advice organisations to offer specialist cost of living advice
  • Supported local campaign groups
  • Helped to stop a school closure
  • Pressured local politicians to clear the River Wear of unsightly debris
  • Worked with local community groups to gain important funding
  • Supported the newly established Durham Mental Wellbeing Alliance
  • Visited schools and other education providers
  • Established a working group with Durham University to address student housing issues
  • Stood alongside workers engaged in industrial disputes
  • Worked with public transport operators to raise constituent concerns
  • Lobbied Durham County Council on issues including school transport, housing, high streets, road safety, Durham Bus Station, business support and more
  • Supported small, local businesses and held her inaugural “Small Business of the Year” award
  • Worked with local NHS Trusts to resolve issues for constituents

And so much more!

You can follow Mary’s social media pages to keep track of her work in the constituency

You can find out more about Mary’s parliamentary record, including spoken contributions and votes here.