| Lauren EdwardsMP | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for Rochester and Strood | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Kelly Tolhurst |
| Majority | 2,293 (5.4%) |
| Member of Medway Council for Rochester East and Warren Wood Rochester East (2021–2023) | |
| In office 16 December 2021 – 16 December 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Nick Bowler |
| Succeeded by | TBC |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lauren Rae Edwards Altona, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | University of Adelaide London School of Economics |
Lauren Rae Edwards is an Australian-born British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament for Rochester and Strood since 2024.
Early life and career
Edwards was born in Altona, Melbourne, Australia, and was educated at the University of Adelaide before moving to the UK in 2005 to study for a master's at the London School of Economics.
Edwards worked as a parliamentary researcher for a number of Labour MPs including Barbara Keeley, Teresa Pearce and Lisa Nandy from 2008 to 2013. During this time she was Political Officer for Unite the Union's Parliamentary Staff Branch. From 2013 to 2016 she worked as a researcher at the postal section of the Communication Workers Union.
Edwards worked at the Bank of England before her selection as a parliamentary candidate, as a manager in financial regulation including a secondment to HM Treasury for about six months working on Brexit related legislation.
Edwards has an English-born mother and holds British citizenship.
Political career
In 2021, Edwards was elected to Medway Council in a by-election from Rochester East ward. She was cabinet member for economic and social regeneration and inward investment.
In 2024, she defeated incumbent Conservative MP Kelly Tolhurst to gain Rochester and Strood.
On 8 August 2024, Edwards issued an apology on Twitter following the emergence of tweets she wrote between 2009 and 2011 in which she used offensive language, described by The Guardian as a "series of 'racist' tweets", stating it was a "significant error of judgement".
In November 2024, Edwards voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which proposes to legalise assisted suicide.
References
- "Lauren Edwards". Medway Elects. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
- "Rochester and Strood – General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ Keevil, Steven (5 November 2023). "'I know how to do a lot of the things, I could hit the ground running'". Local Authority. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- "Local democracy reporter Robert Boddy meets Rochester and Strood parliamentary candidate Lauren Edwards". Kent Online. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- Devlin, Kate (8 August 2024). "New Labour MP Lauren Edwards accused of racism over 'f****** Estonians' tweet". The Independent. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- "Musk brands Starmer a 'hypocrite' - as X owner goads PM over Labour MP's deleted tweet". Sky News. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- "The Operation of the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009 - Volume II" (PDF). Committee on Members' Expenses. UK Parliament. 12 December 2011. p. Ev 63. HC 1484–II. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- "Lauren Edwards". LinkedIn. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- "Labour's Lauren Edwards Wins Rochester East By-Election With Huge Majority". 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- "'I thought people who stood for parliament were not of sound mind...'". Kent Online. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- "Rochester MP Lauren Edwards apologies for 'significant error of judgement' after old tweets surface". ITV News. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
- Adu, Aletha (8 August 2024). "Suspended Labour councillor arrested over video 'urging people to cut throats'". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- "Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Second Reading". Votes in Parliament. 29 November 2024.
External links
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Voting record at Public Whip
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
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- UK MP for England stubs
- Living people
- University of Adelaide alumni
- Alumni of the London School of Economics
- Labour Party (UK) councillors
- UK MPs 2024–present
- Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
- Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
- Councillors in Kent
- Australian emigrants to the United Kingdom
- Australian people of English descent
- People from Altona, Victoria
- Politicians from Melbourne
- Women councillors in England