Thangam is a Member of Parliament for Bristol West and since September 2023 has been Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. She was first elected to parliament in 2015. She previously held the position of Shadow Arts and Culture Minister, Shadow Minister for Exiting the European Union and Shadow Secretary of State for Housing. An advocate for the creative arts to play a more important role in the government agenda, Thangam is also an artist & cellist herself.