A new trade union initiative has been launched to help working class people into politics, and has been named in honour of former Labour MP Harry Harpham, who passed away in February.

The GMB today officially launched the Harry Harpham Parliamentary Programme, with a speech from Harpham’s widow and successor as Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough MP, Gill Furniss. It is described as a “work experience programme” for GMB representatives and activists, with help from MPs to “break down the barriers between working people and politics”.

Speaking to delegates in Bournemouth today, Furniss said it was “a programme which me and my fellow MPs will participate in to give GMB activists and reps work experience in Parliament, breaking down the barriers between the Westminster bubble and working people, workplaces and branches.”

Harpham was the last deep coalminer to be elected when he became an MP at last year’s election, and was just eight months into the job when he died. Furniss was backed by GMB in the following selection and won the by-election last month.

Speaking at GMB’s annual Congress this morning, Furniss said that being in Parliament for just a few weeks had shown her why it was important to increase working class representation in politics.

“I’ve only been an MP for a few weeks, but I can tell you that a few more of you in the corridors of power would be an incredibly good thing – the number of folk there who haven’t done a days graft or worried about paying the bills is remarkable,” she said.

“Change was never handed to you, to your members, to working people. It has been fought for. And Parliament is just another front in that fight – thank you for inviting me, thank you for honouring Harry, and thank you for your support.”