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Polly Billington MP
MP for East Thanet
UK Parliament
• Polly was elected by voters to represent East Thanet at the last general election, overturning a Conservative majority of 10,587 to win the seat for Labour.
• Since being elected as an MP she has become the Co-Chair of the Coastal Communities group of MPs, supported campaigns to save local youth and children’s services in East Thanet, and secured a place on parliament’s Energy Security and Net Zero Committee.
• Polly is a member of multiple APPGs for creative disciplines, including for visual arts, music education, creative health and art, craft and design in education. In 2026, she established the APPG for freelancers. She has also successfully campaigned for more creativity into the most recent education white paper.
• Prior to standing for parliament, she worked for the Department of Energy and Climate Change under the last Labour government, and in 2016 she founded UK100, a network for locally-elected leaders pledging a fair and fast transition to net zero.
"Our creative community is vital to Thanet’s economy and wellbeing. Attracting, spotting nurturing and harnessing talent is what the creative festival is all about so I am pleased to welcome its return"