MPs and Lords go head-to-head in Westminster Tug of War for Macmillan Cancer Support 

Yesterday (Tuesday 2 June), Macmillan Cancer Support brought together an estimated 300 guests for the annual Tug of War at Westminster Abbey College Gardens. Parliamentarians were seen ‘pulling together’ – quite literally – for a good cause. 

Hosted by broadcaster Jeremy Vine, the event welcomed Members of Parliament and the House of Lords, corporate partners and supporters from across Macmillan’s philanthropic networks. The evening culminated in the annual competition between the House of Lords vs the House of Commons, with cross-party teams of Parliamentarians battling it out for the final trophy. 

One of the nail-biting standout moments saw the House of Lords women’s team, featuring Olympian Baroness Sharron Davies and former Deputy Prime Minister Baroness Thérèse Coffey and captained by Baroness Liz Sugg, beat Tonia Antoniazzi MP’s Commons team, featuring Angela Rayner MP, Kim Leadbeater MP, Caroline Nokes MP and Munira Wilson MP. 

The Lord Speaker, Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, and Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, were also in attendance, with Sir Lindsay Hoyle joining the men’s Commons team. 

The event was generously supported once again by Banham, whose Executive Chairman, Charles Hallatt, opened the evening by celebrating their long‑standing relationship and highlighting the vital role Macmillan plays in making cancer care fairer – so everyone gets the support they need.  

Macmillan’s Chief Executive, Gemma Peters, spoke about the scale of the challenge facing cancer care in the UK, with recent analysis by the charity showing someone in the UK is now i, and your experiences and outcomes varyingii. 

Macmillan is calling on partners, and Parliamentarians to join a ‘Fair Cancer Care revolution’. Together, we can improve access and outcomes for people living with cancer, no matter who they are or where they live. 

The event also recognised the contribution of sponsors and partners including Stagecoach, Song Capital, Michael Elliott, Greene King, Mosimann’s, and the Tug of War Association, alongside the military teams who support the competition each year. 

The evening was a powerful reminder that even in the face of challenging weather and travel disruption due to strikes, people will come together to support a fairer future for cancer care. 

Macmillan Cancer Support has spent more than 100 years helping people living with cancer. We know that cancer can disrupt your whole life. And it can be made worse simply because of who you are and where you live. 

But we’re here to change that. 

The number of people diagnosed with cancer is growing, and every one of them needs the best support to meet their unique needs. That's why we'll do whatever it takes to help everyone living with cancer across the UK get the support they need right now and transform cancer care for everyone who will be diagnosed in the future.