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.[1]
Lauren Edwards | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for Rochester and Strood | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Kelly Tolhurst |
| Majority | 2,293 (5.4%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lauren Rae Edwards Altona, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | University of Adelaide London School of Economics |
Early life and career
editEdwards 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.[2][3]
Edwards worked as a parliamentary researcher for a number of Labour MPs including Barbara Keeley, Teresa Pearce and Lisa Nandy from 2008 to 2013.[4][5] During this time she was Political Officer for Unite the Union's Parliamentary Staff Branch.[6] From 2013 to 2016 she worked as a researcher at the postal section of the Communication Workers Union.[7]
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.[2]
Edwards has an English-born mother and holds British citizenship.[2]
Political career
editIn 2021, Edwards was elected to Medway Council in a by-election from Rochester East ward.[8] She was cabinet member for economic and social regeneration and inward investment.[9]
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".[10][11]
References
edit- ^ "Rochester and Strood – General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ a b c 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.
External links
edit
- 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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