Yuan Yang (politician)

{{family name hatnote|Yang ({{lang|zh|杨}})|lang=Chinese}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Yuan Yang

| native_name = {{nobold|杨缘}}

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MP}}

| image = Official portrait of Yuan Yang MP crop 2.jpg

| caption = Official portrait, 2024

| office = Member of Parliament
for Earley and Woodley

| term_start = 4 July 2024

| term_end =

| predecessor = Constituency created

| majority = 848 (1.9%)

| successor =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1990}}

| birth_place = Ningbo, Zhejiang, China

| spouse =

| children =

| relatives =

| party = Labour

| alma_mater = Balliol College, Oxford (BA)
London School of Economics (MSc)

| module2 = {{Infobox Chinese

| child = yes

| s = 杨缘

| t = 楊緣

| p = Yáng yuán}}

| citizenship = United Kingdom{{Cite web |date=2025-06-04 |title=Employment Rights Bill - Hansard - UK Parliament |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2024-10-21/debates/DC4CA46C-E3A4-4A75-A0AA-5143E3E12585/EmploymentRightsBill#contribution-CCE5044E-1803-45D9-847A-999D738BAA73 |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=hansard.parliament.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Lawrence |first=Elizabeth |date=2024-05-22 |title="Private Revolutions: Four Women Face China's New Social Order" by Yuan Yang |url=https://asianreviewofbooks.com/private-revolutions-four-women-face-chinas-new-social-order-by-yuan-yang/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |language=en-US}}

}}

Yuan Yang ({{lang-zh|c=杨缘}}; born 1990) is a British Labour Party politician, economist and journalist serving as Member of Parliament for Earley and Woodley since 2024.

Born in China, Yang moved to the United Kingdom with her parents at the age of four.{{Cite web |last=Bradshaw |first=Kit |date=27 August 2024 |title=First Chinese-born MP Yuan Yang 'felt like an outsider' when she came to UK as child |url=https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2024-08-27/first-chinese-born-mp-felt-like-an-outsider-when-she-came-to-uk-as-child |website=ITV News Meridian}} She was formerly the UK-based Europe–China correspondent for the Financial Times. Yang is the first Chinese-born Briton to be elected to the UK Parliament, and the second of Chinese ethnicity after Alan Mak.{{Cite news |date=2015-05-08 |title=Britain gains first ethnic Chinese MP |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election-2015-32663252 |access-date=2025-04-06 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

Early life and education

Yang was born in Ningbo in China,{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/magazines/culture-magazine/article/private-revolutions-by-yuan-yang-review-j6r0f8rzn|title=Private Revolutions by Yuan Yang review — growing up in modern China|newspaper=The Times|first=Christina|last=Patterson|date=2024-05-19|access-date=2024-07-06|archive-date=8 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240608113613/https://www.thetimes.com/magazines/culture-magazine/article/private-revolutions-by-yuan-yang-review-j6r0f8rzn|url-status=live}} growing up in the southwestern Sichuan province.{{Cite web|url=https://qz.com/2043655/yuan-yang-the-witness-to-declining-press-freedom-in-china|title=Yuan Yang, the British-Chinese journalist witnessing the decline of press freedom in China|first=Annabelle|last=Timsit|date=23 August 2021|website=Quartz|access-date=9 July 2024|archive-date=6 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706183350/https://qz.com/2043655/yuan-yang-the-witness-to-declining-press-freedom-in-china|url-status=live}} She was raised by her maternal grandparents in a work unit (danwei).{{cite news |last1=Eaton |first1=George |title=Labour's Yuan Yang: "There is deep class anxiety in China" |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/encounter/2024/05/labours-yuan-yang-there-is-deep-class-anxiety-in-china |access-date=8 July 2024 |work=New Statesman |date=22 May 2024 |archive-date=27 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240627005036/https://www.newstatesman.com/encounter/2024/05/labours-yuan-yang-there-is-deep-class-anxiety-in-china |url-status=live }} At the age of four, she moved to the north of England with her parents – moving between Manchester and Leeds. Yang became "very passionate about writing" as a child, and explained that her passion was "encouraged by my teachers and by a group called The Yorkshire Writing Squad that I joined as a teenager".

Yang received a scholarship to attend the fee-paying Bradford Grammar School, graduating in 2008.{{Cite web |last=Alred |first=Jessica |title=Yuan Yang |url=https://www.bradfordgrammar.com/portfolio-items/yuan-yang/ |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=Bradford Grammar School |language=en-GB}} She studied for a bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Balliol College, Oxford, graduating in 2011 with first-class honours.{{cite magazine |title=Annual Record |url=https://www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/annual_record_for_web.pdf |magazine=Balliol College Annual Record |page=100 |publisher=Balliol College |access-date=4 July 2024 |archive-date=5 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240705232450/https://www.balliol.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/annual_record_for_web.pdf |url-status=live }} She was the sabbatical Women's Officer in the Oxford Student Union.{{Cite web |title=The former student leaders entering Parliament |url=https://wonkhe.com/blogs/the-student-leaders-that-could-be-about-to-enter-parliament/ |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=Wonkhe |language=en-GB}}

In 2008 amid the 2007–2008 financial crisis, she co-founded Rethinking Economics, a non-profit campaign that Yang described as coming from the belief that "students should be able to choose among different schools of thought" with regards to economics education.{{cite web |date=10 April 2015 |title=Students weigh the value of new economics course |url=https://www.ft.com/content/fc2eb464-d93d-11e4-b907-00144feab7de |website=Financial Times |access-date=7 June 2023 |archive-date=29 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529001047/https://www.ft.com/content/fc2eb464-d93d-11e4-b907-00144feab7de |url-status=live }}{{cite web |date=23 August 2021 |title=Yuan Yang, the British-Chinese journalist witnessing the decline of press freedom in China |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/yuan-yang-british-chinese-journalist-110654581.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS91cmw_cT1odHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmZpbmFuY2UueWFob28uY29tJTJGbmV3cyUyRnl1YW4teWFuZy1icml0aXNoLWNoaW5lc2Utam91cm5hbGlzdC0xMTA2NTQ1ODEuaHRtbCZzYT1EJnNvdXJjZT1kb2NzJnVzdD0xNjg2MTc5Mjc0MDczNTA4JnVzZz1BT3ZWYXcyUGF3MDJTbGNRMkZFMU8xZ2FYRlpS&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIgDsT4iamH86xXdnNC9sl8TyALkEfAZ9cqMxj2eYLNzjBdeElh3EliNYTMa1dvLQ2qv5pzTJi2hDSx9nTIBn_dpBYb3rOtLRkKyAKUQKNejCf5XCYqGZClPXX1GxHssho7zkKoXLbSzqCj9V_SaY_9Y2wfg7sfOIMZQQOOk8k2P |website=Yahoo Finance}}{{cite web |title=Yuan Yang |url=https://www.ft.com/yuan-yang |website=Financial Times |access-date=7 June 2023 |archive-date=7 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230607022019/http://www.ft.com/yuan-yang |url-status=live }} Yang expressed the hope that the campaign would provide a space for students wanting to address "real world economic issues, broader questions of economic justice and reforming the real economy."{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldeconomicsassociation.org/newsletterarticles/interview-with-yuan-yang/|title=Interview with Yuan Yang on Rethinking Economics and WEA's Young Economists Network (YEN) | World Economics Association|website=www.worldeconomicsassociation.org|access-date=9 July 2024|archive-date=23 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240123165834/https://www.worldeconomicsassociation.org/newsletterarticles/interview-with-yuan-yang/|url-status=live}}

Yang attended the London School of Economics from 2012–2013, studying for an MSc in economics. Yang studied abroad at Peking University in 2013 as part of a Chinese government sponsored programme.

Journalism career

In a 2021 interview with Quartz, Yang noted that she initially intended to become a poet but pivoted to journalism by accident.{{Cite web |last=Timsit |first=Annabelle |date=2021-08-23 |title=Yuan Yang, the British-Chinese journalist witnessing the decline of press freedom in China |url=https://qz.com/2043655/yuan-yang-the-witness-to-declining-press-freedom-in-china |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Quartz |language=en |archive-date=6 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240706183350/https://qz.com/2043655/yuan-yang-the-witness-to-declining-press-freedom-in-china |url-status=live }}

She began her journalism career as a Marjorie Deane intern in the economics section of The Economist magazine.{{Cite web |date=2012-03-09 |title=Internships |url=https://marjoriedeane.com/internships/ |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=Marjorie Deane Financial Journalism Foundation |language=en |archive-date=30 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240330025005/https://marjoriedeane.com/internships/ |url-status=live }}

In 2016, she returned to China as an economics correspondent for the Financial Times.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/8e96d1ae-ab83-11e8-94bd-cba20d67390c|title='I am an expat in the country I was born in'|website=www.ft.com|date=6 September 2018 |access-date=9 July 2024|archive-date=25 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925064205/https://www.ft.com/content/8e96d1ae-ab83-11e8-94bd-cba20d67390c|url-status=live |last1=Yang |first1=Yuan }} She has served as deputy Beijing bureau chief for the FT, and covered China's technology sector and economy. Yang is also a regular contributor to BBC News.

In May 2024, Yang's book{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/private-revolutions-9781526655929/ |title=Private Revolutions |last=Yang |first=Yuan |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |date=9 May 2024 |website=Bloomsbury Publishing |access-date=2 June 2024 |archive-date=2 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602201624/https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/private-revolutions-9781526655929/ |url-status=live }} Private Revolutions was published by Bloomsbury Publishing.{{cite web| url =https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/bloomsbury-wins-four-way-auction-for-major-talent-yuan-yang| title =Bloomsbury wins four-way auction for 'major talent' Yuan Yang| date =8 February 2022| website =Book Seller| access-date =7 June 2023| archive-date =8 February 2022| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20220208095544/https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/bloomsbury-wins-four-way-auction-for-major-talent-yuan-yang| url-status =live}} The book is about the coming of age of four women born in China in the 1980s and 1990s, in a society about to change beyond recognition.

Political career

In December 2023, Yang was announced as the Labour Party candidate for Earley and Woodley{{Cite web |title=Yang Yang PPC – Earley and Woodley CLP |url=https://earleyandwoodleylabour.com/yuanyang/ |access-date=22 May 2024 |website=Earley and Woodley Labour CLP |language=en-GB |archive-date=2 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602202004/https://earleyandwoodleylabour.com/yuanyang/ |url-status=live }} in the 2024 general election.{{Cite web |date=18 December 2023 |title=Yuan Yang selected as Labour candidate for new Earley and Woodley MP seat |url=https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/23996957.labour-candidate-earley-woodley-mp-seat-selected/ |access-date=23 December 2023 |website=Reading Chronicle |language=en}} Her family had lived in Earley for 14 years prior to her selection as a candidate.{{Cite web|url=https://wokingham.today/vote-2024-earley-and-woodley-labour-candidate-is-honoured-to-be-standing-in-the-new-seat/|title=VOTE 2024: Earley and Woodley Labour candidate is 'honoured' to be standing in the new seat – Wokingham.Today|date=22 May 2024 }} Yang explained that part of her motivation for standing as a candidate derived from witnessing "the damage austerity has done to our community" in the area.

In July 2024, she won the newly created constituency with 18,209 votes, beating the Conservative party candidate who received 17,361 votes,{{cite news |url=https://wokingham.today/general-election-2024-labours-yuan-yang-wins-earley-woodley-seat/ |title=General Election 2024: Labour's Yuan Yang wins Earley & Woodley seat |work=Wokingham Today |date=5 July 2024 |access-date=5 July 2024 |archive-date=5 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240705202557/https://wokingham.today/general-election-2024-labours-yuan-yang-wins-earley-woodley-seat/ |url-status=live }} and becoming the UK's first Chinese-born MP. Before she was an MP, Yang backed the rights of Hongkongers in the United Kingdom and was critical of the Chinese government's 2020 Hong Kong national security law.{{Cite news |last=Tse |first=Hans |date=5 July 2024 |title=Yuan Yang becomes UK's the first Chinese-born lawmaker |url=http://hongkongfp.com/2024/07/05/former-journalist-yuan-yang-becomes-uks-first-chinese-born-lawmaker-as-labour-win-general-election-landslide/ |access-date=5 July 2024 |language=en-GB}}

As Yang is a Quaker,{{cite news |last1=Yang |first1=Yuan |title=Democracy begins with us |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2024/07/democracy-begins-with-us-yuan-yang |access-date=10 July 2024 |work=New Statesman |date=2 July 2024}} she was sworn in to parliament by taking a solemn affirmation on 10 July 2024.{{Cite tweet |user=YuanfenYang |number=1810999204480757833 |title=I was 'sworn in' to Parliament this morning, so now our new constituency of Earley, Woodley, Shinfield and Whitley has its first ever fully-fledged MP! This is just the start – over the summer I'll be hiring for my constituency office & scouting out surgery venues. Get in touch! [Media]}}

In October, Yang was elected as a member of the Treasury Select Committee,{{Cite web |title=Treasury Committee membership appointed - Committees - UK Parliament |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/158/treasury-committee/news/203450/treasury-committee-membership-appointed/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=committees.parliament.uk |language=en}} on which she has raised issues with the quality of labour-force inactivity data. In November 2024 she became chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Social Science and Policy.{{Cite web |title=All Party Parliamentary Group On Social Science and Policy |url=https://socialscienceappg.co.uk/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240618233937/https://socialscienceappg.co.uk/ |archive-date=2024-06-18 |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=socialscienceappg.co.uk |language=en-US}}

Yang has campaigned for Reading FC to be sold, in response to the current ownership crisis.{{Cite news |last=Yang |first=Yuan |date=2025-03-09 |title=FROM THE MP: Yuan Yang – Reading FC is vital to our local community |url=https://wokingham.today/from-the-mp-yuan-yang-reading-fc-is-vital-to-our-local-community/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |work=Wokingham Today}} In February 2025, alongside fan group Sell Before We Dai, she ran a petition calling for an inquiry into Reading FC’s absent owner which garnered over 10,000 signatures.{{Cite web |date=2025-02-28 |title=Petition to save Reading FC reaches 10k signatures in ONE WEEK |url=https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/24972313.reading-fc-petition-reaches-10k-signatures-one-week/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Reading Chronicle |language=en}} In March 2025 Yang secured a backbench parliamentary debate on the financial sustainability of football.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-07 |title=Berkshire MPs speak out in Parliament during Reading and Football Governance debate |url=https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/24989056.reading-fc-football-governance-debate-hits-parliament/ |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Reading Chronicle |language=en}}

Yang has supported tougher regulation of property management companies.{{Cite web |title=Rip-off management fees - Campaign {{!}} Yuan Yang |url=https://www.yuanforearleyandwoodley.org/management-charges |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Yuan Yang MP |language=en}}

In April 2025, Yang was detained, questioned, and denied entry to Israel alongside fellow Labour MP Abtisam Mohamed and two members of staff from the British NGOs who were hosting the delegation; the two MPs stated they were attempting to visit the occupied West Bank as part of a Parliamentary delegation.{{Cite web |title=Furious row after Labour MPs denied entry to Israel - as Lammy criticises 'disgraceful' Badenoch response |url=https://news.sky.com/story/labour-mps-yuan-yang-and-abtisam-mohamed-denied-entry-and-deported-from-israel-13343009 |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=Sky News |language=en}} Speaking about the incident in the House of Commons, Middle East Minister Hamish Falconer said: “They had both been granted entry clearance in advance of travelling to Israel [...] their treatment is unacceptable and deeply concerning”.{{Cite web |date=2025-10-04 |title=Israel: Refusal of Entry for UK Parliamentarians - Hansard - UK Parliament |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2025-04-07/debates/241C7C28-7248-4721-AB27-648A30D58719/IsraelRefusalOfEntryForUKParliamentarians |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=hansard.parliament.uk |language=en}}

The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, responded to the incident saying: “It is unacceptable, counterproductive, and deeply concerning that two British MPs on a parliamentary delegation to Israel have been detained and refused entry by the Israeli authorities.".