Don't just talk to the loudest kids. Talk to everyone, find out what they want, and reflect that. Being involved is really important.
Driven by Social Policy
Neil's political consciousness was forged by his family's experience. "My mom has schizophrenia", he explains, led him to "be a bit more aware of social policy issues". This awareness drew him to politics not for the fight, but for the question of "what could work better and how best can that be achieved". He landed in the Labour Party, believing it was the best vehicle to support people like his mother and families like his, noting that better support would have resulted in better outcomes for everyone, including his brother who became a full-time carer.
Before becoming an MP, Neil built a career in the public sector. After university, he lived and worked in China for two years recruiting English teachers. Upon returning to the UK, he applied for a two-month cover position at the Rights Commission, which he found "amazing and really rewarding" eventually running Disability Alliance. He helped set up this Rights UK, which assisted "half a million disabled people and carers every year". His first electoral success came in 2010 as a Councillor for the Newington ward in Southwark.
A Varied and Rewarding Role
Today, the life of an MP is "varied" and constantly in "flux". Coyle's day can involve meeting with NHS England to discuss vaccination campaigns or speaking with a breast cancer campaign to highlight the need for regular checks, especially among younger women. He tries to dedicate Mondays and Fridays to being "actually in the constituency", holding his "open door surgery in Bermondsey on a Friday afternoon". This accessibility is important to him; his surgery helps about 500 people a month and allows him to see issues firsthand, with housing being the number one concern.
Neil's proudest moments are deeply personal and rooted in the impact on his constituents' lives. "One thing I really like, if you come into my office, you'll see the thank you cards because the one thing that makes this rewarding is you see the turnaround in some people's lives". He recalls helping a woman who had been wrongly punished by the Home Office due to a mistaken identity, which led to her becoming homeless. The intervention turned her life around, and her son now volunteers for his team.
Neil has actively worked to change legislation. Following the terror attack at London Bridge and Borough Market, he led work with the Home Office to ensure businesses and communities affected by attacks of a similar nature are now better protected. He also worked with charities like Women's Aid to change the law to protect women fleeing domestic violence. He reflected on this legislative success, noting, "To have the chance to be able to change the law in a way that I know will have a massive difference and potentially save lives is an enormous privilege."
Standing Up for Principle
While he is a Labour MP, Neil is prepared to champion his constituents and his conscience over party loyalty. "I wouldn't be in the Labour party if I didn't believe", he says, that they are "trying to address the fundamental challenges facing our country". However, he has a track record of challenging the party line, having been known as an "anti-Corbyn Labour MP". He described the former leader, Jeremy Corbyn, as "a disaster for Labour Party", lamenting his "lack of leadership" during the Brexit referendum, where 72% of his constituency voted against leaving.
Neil was also a vocal critic of the failure to tackle racism under the previous leadership, recalling it was "horrendous to have to apologise for the Labour party" when Jewish members of the community came to see him. He notes, "Some of us stood up against our own party at personal cost. I was threatened with deselection". This period cemented his belief that he is "quite prepared to stand up against my own party if it makes mistakes".
On policy, he continues to push for major infrastructure projects like the Bakerloo line extension, which Labour supports. Despite the current "difficult economic inheritance", he remains persistent. He admits, "patience isn't my strongest virtue... but I will keep trying" to see it delivered. He holds a personal aspiration to see the line delivered and the UK "at least be back in the Customs Union whenever I end my parliamentary career".
Recharge and Advice
To deal with the "emotional toll" of the job, Neil recharges through reading and walking. He often walks his dog and used to call his dad once a week during his weekly shop—a call that "would always put a smile on my face". He also shared a challenging early experience of having to support a woman whose teenage son was murdered near the Elephant and Castle. He sought advice from a local vicar on "compartmentalising, trying to be an office rather than a person".
For young people thinking of getting into politics, his advice is simple: "get involved". He encourages them to "find out what they want" by talking to everyone, not just the "loudest kids". Critically, he tells people to visit the local office, not just Westminster, because "the bit that isn't seen is what goes on in the local office and what we do in our local communities". He explains that building a network is crucial, as the public election is only the final part of a "more difficult process, which is the selection," which requires a "mass of support" built "over months and years".