Carlisle’s new Labour MP, Julie Minns, cast her vote for another MP with Carlisle connections when the Commons elected deputy speakers.

Julie backed Helen Grant, Conservative MP for Maidstone and Malling in Kent. Like Julie, who was born in Carlisle and grew up in Denton Holme, Helen was raised in Raffles, attended St Aidan’s School and later Julie’s old school Trinity.

She was unsuccessful in her bid to become one of three deputies who stand in to chair debates in the House when speaker Lindsay Hoyle is unavailable.

But the election – where MPs vote freely without having to support members of their own party – provided an opportunity for the two to bond.

Both have notched notable firsts. Helen in 2010 as the first black woman of mixed heritage to be elected as a Conservative MP while, earlier this month, Julie became the first woman to represent Carlisle at Westminster.

Julie said: “I was delighted to support Helen for deputy speaker. We may be in different political parties but the fact that we both grew up in Carlisle and know the city so well means we have a lot in common.

“It’s a shame Helen wasn’t successful in getting elected because her platform was to make Parliament more family friendly, for example by expanding the creche to provide childcare flexibility. I very much approve of that.”

Helen added: “It’s great to be one of two MPs who are proud daughters of Carlisle. I have so many happy memories of growing up in north Cumbria and I stay in close touch with family and friends, returning to visit as often as I can.

“I’m hoping at some point that Julie and I can find time for a joint visit to our former secondary school, Trinity. Perhaps we might inspire the next generation of budding politicians to follow in our footsteps.”

Helen is the daughter of Dr Gladys Spedding who raised her as a single mum, trained as a teacher and became deputy head of North Cumbria Technology College in Harraby, a forerunner of the present day Central Academy.

Helen was a gifted athlete in her youth, a captain of the school tennis and hockey teams who represented Cumbria in hockey, tennis, athletics, and cross-country. She was also an under-16 judo champion.

She qualified as a solicitor with Carlisle law firm Cartmell, Mawson & Main – now Cartmell Shepherd – before leaving the city to forge a career in London.

Likewise, Julie left Carlisle to work as a policy adviser, charity campaigner and as a PR consultant before returning home to stand for Parliament.