York MP asks locals for Yorkshire words for accent debate

Westminster might not know what’s hit it when Luke Charters addresses his peers during a debate on regional accents on Wednesday.

The Labour MP for York Outer has taken to social media to issue a rallying cry to locals to send him their best Yorkshire phrases ahead of the debate so he is armed with a crowd-sourced glossary of the county’s finest words rather than the usual policy papers.

The Westminster Hall debate is on Regional accents and social mobility, and will be led by Jo Platt, MP for Leigh and Atherton who says her accent is as much a part of her identity as her values or politics.

York MP Luke Charters asks locals for Yorkshire words – Jo Platt MP is leading the debate on Wednesday on regional accents. (Image: Submitted)

Taking to Facebook, Mr Charters wrote: “I reckon Yorkshire has some of the best words and phrases going. So, what’s your favourite Yorkshire word or saying? Whether it’s “nowt”, “summat”, “ginnel”, “mardy”, “tha knows” or something a bit more obscure, stick it in the comments.

“I’m hoping to sneak as many as I can into my speech, so let’s show Parliament how Yorkshire really talks!”

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Within hours of his post, replies flooded in, including a mix of classics and possibly some lesser-known gems, from “Having a fuddle”, and ‘fettling’ to “nowt” and “summat”, “ginnel”, “mardy” and “tha knows”.

If Mr Charters follows through on his promise to include as many as possible, MPs could soon find themselves navigating a sentence that sounds more like a chat in a York pub than a Commons debate.

To help him out, we’re asking Press readers to give him their own favourite York and/or Yorkshire words and phrases – simply add them in the comments below (with an explanation if they’re particularly obscure!).

For York and Yorkshire folk, it’s more than just a bit of fun – it’s a chance to put regional identity front and centre, and remind Westminster that accents aren’t something to be smoothed out, but celebrated.

Whether Mr Charters manages to slip in a handful of phrases or delivers a full-blown Yorkshire-infused speech remains to be seen. One thing’s certain: if he pulls it off, Hansard could make for a particularly entertaining read.

A former Huntington School student, Mr Charters lives in his constituency with his wife and two children, and was elected in 2024, having first contested the seat in 2017.