Andy Slaughter

MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick

Labour

Andy Slaughter is the Labour MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick, having first been elected for the predecessor seat of Ealing, Acton and Shepherd’s Bush at the 2005 general election. He represented the Hammersmith constituency from 2010 to 2024.

In the 2024 general election, Slaughter won 24,073 votes, representing 52.3% of the vote. The Conservative candidate, Andrew Dinsmore, received 8,783 votes (19.1%), while the Green Party candidate, Naranee Ruthra-Rajan, secured 4,468 votes (9.7%). Slaughter was duly elected with a majority of 15,290 votes.

The Hammersmith and Chiswick constituency was newly created for the 2024 election, formed from parts of the abolished Hammersmith seat and Brentford and Isleworth. It covers parts of West London including Hammersmith, Chiswick, and Shepherd’s Bush. The area is considered a safe Labour seat.

Political Career

Slaughter currently serves as solicitor general. He was appointed to this role in July 2026, following the Labour leadership contest and Andy Burnham’s elevation as prime minister.

Previously, Slaughter chaired the House of Commons justice select committee (2024-2026) – the committee responsible for examining the policies and spending of the Ministry of Justice and associated public bodies. By virtue of this role, Slaughter sat on the liaison committee – the so-called “super committee” composed of the cross-party chairs of all the other commons select committees.

Prior to the 2024 general election, which saw Labour returned to power after 14 years in opposition, Slaughter served as shadow solicitor general from (December 2021 – November 2023) and shadow justice minister (October 2021 – December 2021).

Slaughter resigned from the frontbench in November 2023 to vote in favour of a motion tabled by the Scottish National Party (SNP) calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza – defying the instruction set out by the party’s frontbench. Labour had tabled its own motion, making a more moderate appeal for a “humanitarian pause” in the conflict and ordered its representatives to support that stance.

In a statement issued one week after the vote, Slaughter said he voted for both the Labour and SNP amendments.

He stated: “Of course, Hamas must stop firing rockets and release the hostages held, but it is illegal and immoral to wage war on civilians in the way the Israeli military currently is.

“The displacement of millions of people, the destruction of their homes and property, the murder of non-combatants, many of them children, is not according to the rules of war, and democracies and their allies should be held to the highest standards.”

Slaughter previously served as shadow minister for housing (2016-2017) and shadow minister for justice (2010-2016).

Slaughter was dismissed from the frontbench in June 2017 for voting against the Labour whip on an amendment supporting UK membership of the European Union single market.

In June 2016, Slaughter was among those to resign from the shadow frontbench in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership and his approach to the Brexit referendum.

In his resignation letter, addressed to Corbyn, Slaughter said his decision was taken “after consultation with the officers of my local party and other members and councillors in Hammersmith. Their view, by a clear majority, is that I should take this course.”

The Labour MP wrote: “I also very much regret the fact that this undermines you personally. We have always been friends and comrades and share a number of interests and priorities, including issues that are important to our inner London constituents such as social housing, as well as justice for the Palestinian people.”

He added: “The reason I am resigning is simple. I didn’t vote for you as leader as I thought your many skills and your experience lay elsewhere than in that role, but I respected the overwhelming view of the membership to elect you and have been pleased to serve and support you since your election.

“However, following the utter disaster of the Leave vote last week I think we have entered a new phase of politics in which, both in the likely autumn election and the negotiations on Brexit that will follow, we need as a party to be 100% match fit.

“I don’t think you are the best person to maximise our support in the country or combat the very right-wing forces that have taken over the Tory Party. I mean no disrespect in saying this, there are very few people who can do the job of leading a major political party in the current climate.”

Previously, Slaughter was appointed parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to Stephen Ladyman, the minister of state for the Department for Transport, serving from November 2005 to June 2007. In June 2007, he was appointed PPS to Lord Malloch-Brown, minister of state at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He also served as PPS to Lord (Digby) Jones as minister of state at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

In January 2009, Slaughter resigned as PPS over the government’s plans for a third runway at Heathrow airport. A PPS acts as an unpaid parliamentary assistant, providing a link between the senior frontbencher and backbench MPs. The role is widely regarded as the first step on the ministerial ladder. Although they cannot speak for the government in debates, a PPS is bound by collective responsibility and becomes part of the so-called “payroll vote”, expected to support the official line in all divisions.

Slaughter was a member of the House of Commons justice committee (2019-2022), the housing, communities and local government committee (2009-2010), children, schools and families committee (2007-2009), and regulatory reform committee (2005-2007).

Slaughter delivered his maiden speech on 23 June 2005.

In it, he said: “Since the election of Labour governments after 1997, Ealing, Acton and Shepherd’s Bush has seen considerable regeneration. Unemployment has fallen by half – and long-term unemployment by 85 per cent.

“Crime is down and police numbers are substantially up, in particular through the recruitment of safer neighbourhoods teams. The White City area is one of the largest development sites in any major European city.

“It promises to bring thousands of jobs, homes, businesses and shops to Shepherd’s Bush, along with the transport and environmental improvements to sustain them.”

Before entering parliament, Slaughter served as a Labour councillor on Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council from 1986 to 2005. He was leader of the Council from 1996 until 2005.

Slaughter stood unsuccessfully in the Uxbridge constituency in a by-election on 31 July 1997.

Political views

Leadership elections and loyalty

Oppose leadership election: In May 2026, Slaughter was among the over 100 Labour MPs who signed a joint statement insisting it was “no time for a leadership contest.” The letter was an intervention in the political crisis engulfing Keir Starmer’s premiership, after Labour suffered heavy losses in the 2026 local elections and devolved elections to the Scottish Parliament and Senedd Cymru. It was organised as a counterweight to a mounting rebellion that had seen high-profile figures, including some ministers, call for Starmer’s resignation.

The statement read: “Last week we had a devastatingly tough set of election results. It shows we have a hard job ahead to win back trust from the electorate.

“That job needs to start today – with all of us working together to deliver the change the country needs.

“We must focus on that. This is no time for a leadership contest.”

Labour leadership 2020: Slaughter was one of 82 Labour MPs who nominated Keir Starmer for the party’s leadership in early 2020. The election was triggered by the resignation of Jeremy Corbyn following the party’s defeat in the 2019 general election, which resulted in Labour’s fewest seats in the House of Commons since 1935.

Starmer’s 82 nominations were the highest of any candidate. The shadow Brexit secretary won a decisive victory in the first round with 56.2% of the vote, defeating Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy.

Labour leadership 2015: Slaughter nominated Yvette Cooper for the party’s leadership in June 2015. The election followed the resignation of Ed Miliband after the party’s defeat in the 2015 general election. It was the first contest held under the “one member, one vote” system, which replaced the previous electoral college.

Cooper, the shadow home secretary, secured 59 nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), comfortably exceeding the 35 required to reach the final ballot. She ultimately finished third in the contest with 17% of the vote.

Corbyn loyalty list: In March 2016, Slaughter was labelled as “core group plus” by the Corbyn leadership in a leaked list which categorised Labour MPs by their perceived loyalty. This label suggested the Corbyn leadership viewed Slaughter as a reliable supporter.

Labour leadership 2016: Slaughter was one of 162 Labour MPs who nominated Owen Smith for the party’s leadership in July 2016. The election was triggered by a challenge to Jeremy Corbyn following the EU referendum, which led to a wave of shadow cabinet resignations and a vote of no confidence supported by 172 MPs. Smith, the former shadow work and pensions secretary, was ultimately defeated by Corbyn, who won with an increased mandate of 61.8% of the vote.

Labour leadership 2010: Slaughter was one of 63 Labour MPs who nominated Ed Miliband for the party’s leadership in May 2010. The election followed the resignation of Gordon Brown, who stepped down as prime minister and Labour leader after the 2010 general election.

Miliband, the former energy and climate change secretary, was seen as the candidate of the “soft left” and secured significant backing from affiliated trade unions. He secured 63 nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), exceeding the 33 required to reach the final ballot. Miliband went on to narrowly defeat his brother, David, in the final round by 50.7% to 49.3%.

Factional identity and party tradition

Tribune group (2017): Slaughter was listed as a member of the Tribune steering group – responsible for leading the caucus generally described as representing the party’s “soft left”.

The Tribune group was initially formed in 1964 to support the newspaper of the same name. It served as a prominent forum for those parliamentarians situated on the left of the Labour Party – but it split over Tony Benn’s campaign for the deputy leadership in 1981. Benn’s supporters founded the Campaign group – which evolved into the Socialist Campaign Group (SCG). Today, the Bennite SCG is strongly associated with the Labour left tradition.

During the 1980s, the Tribune group emerged as a more natural home for those on Labour’s “soft left”.

In 2017, Efford officially re-launched the group with a new mission statement calling for “opportunity and aspiration” to be placed at the heart of the party’s programme. Efford said he had reformed the group to ensure that the centre-left of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) “have a space in which to put forward ideas and debate which has not been there under successive leaders”.

He added: “The view of Labour MPs at the moment tends to be that too much are just Blairites who want to stab Jeremy Corbyn in the back. We want to show that is not where we are, and that we want to develop our own ideas that represent the centre-left of the party.”

Brexit and Europe

Brexit referendum: Slaughter supported Remain in the 2016 Brexit referendum, and therefore agreed with a majority of his constituents, 68.7% of whom also voted to Remain.

Article 50: In February 2017, Slaughter voted against the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill. The legislation empowered the prime minister to notify the Council of the European Union of the UK’s intention to withdraw, formally triggering the process set out in Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. MPs supported the bill by 498 votes to 114 at second reading. In voting against the bill, Slaughter defied the party whip – one of 47 Labour MPs to do so.

People’s vote support (2019): Slaughter signed a January 2019 statement by Labour MPs calling for a “people’s vote” or second referendum. The statement, signed by 71 Labour MPs, read: “Defeat of the Tory [Brexit] deal in a public vote would give us all a chance to campaign for the anti-austerity policies and a Labour government that deals with the true causes of the Brexit vote, and a reformed Europe that works for all people.”

Remain pledge: During the 2019 general election campaign, Slaughter was one of 193 Labour candidates to sign the anti-Brexit “Remain pledge”, drawn up by the campaign group Remain Labour.

It stated: “Labour is committed to a confirmatory referendum, to give you the final say on Brexit. If elected as your Labour MP, I pledge to campaign to Remain in the EU.”

Brexit trade deal: In December 2020, Slaughter was among the 37 Labour MPs to rebel against the leadership’s position on the EU (Future Relationship) Bill – which enabled the government to implement and ratify its post-Brexit trade deal with the EU. Keir Starmer, the newly elected Labour leader, argued that while the trade deal negotiated by Boris Johnson’s government was “thin” and flawed, the only alternative at that late stage was a “no-deal” exit. To enforce the leadership’s position, a three-line whip was imposed. Slaughter abstained over the bill. One Labour MP, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, voted against the bill.

Electoral reform

Fair elections APPG: Slaughter is listed as a member of the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for fair elections – a cross-party group of MPs and peers that campaigns for electoral reform. The group’s stated aims include replacing the first past the post (FPTP) voting system with a form of proportional representation, eliminating “dark money” and “undemocratic influence” from politics, and countering disinformation.

Proportional representation bill: In December 2024, Slaughter voted in favour of the Elections (Proportional Representation) Bill – introduced by Liberal Democrat frontbencher Sarah Olney under the 10-minute rule procedure. The bill sought to “introduce a system of proportional representation for parliamentary elections and for local government elections in England”.

A total of 138 MPs supported the bill – with 136 opposed. Notably, 59 Labour MPs backed Olney’s bill.

Introducing the bill, Olney told the House: “First past the post is a broken and unfair system. This summer, the Labour party won a landslide election victory, securing 63% of seats in the House of Commons in return for just 34% of the vote.

“The system leaves millions of voices unheard and creates a divisive, adversarial political climate where collaboration is discouraged and accountability is often sidestepped.”

Welfare

Welfare vote (July 2025): Slaughter voted in favour of the government’s flagship welfare bill at second reading. The vote came after ministers agreed to significant concessions to avoid defeat via a mass rebellion of Labour MPs on 1 July 2025.

Assisted dying

Slaughter voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, better known as the assisted dying bill, at both second reading (November 2024) and third reading (June 2025).

Social values and conscience issues

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): Slaughter voted in favour of a backbench amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that sought to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales in June 2025. The amendment, which was passed by a majority of 242 votes, removed women from the threat of prosecution for ending a pregnancy at any stage. As an issue of conscience, MPs were allowed to vote according to their personal beliefs.

Same-sex marriage (2013): In February 2013, Slaughter voted in favour of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill at its second reading. The landmark piece of legislation, which received its second reading by 400 votes to 175, legalised marriage for same-sex couples in England and Wales.

Foreign policy and security

Trident renewal (2016): Slaughter voted in favour of a government motion calling for the renewal of the Trident nuclear deterrent system in July 2016. The motion, which was passed by 472 votes to 117, committed the UK to constructing a new fleet of submarines to carry the nation’s nuclear weapons. Labour was split over the issue with 140 of its 230 MPs going against leader Jeremy Corbyn and backing the motion.

Syria airstrikes (2015): Slaughter voted against a government motion to extend UK airstrikes against Isis from Iraq into Syria in December 2015. The motion, which was passed by 397 votes to 223 after a ten-hour debate in the House of Commons, authorised the RAF to conduct strikes against Isis targets in Syria.

Syria airstrikes (2013): Slaughter voted against the government’s motion on the principle of military intervention in Syria in August 2013. The government motion was defeated by 285 votes to 272, a move which effectively ruled out UK participation in any US-led military strikes.

Palestine

LFPME: Slaughter has been listed as a member of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East (LFPME). The organisation’s stated aim is to promote peace and justice in the region through the application of international law and respect for human rights.

Palestinian recognition letter (July 2025): In July 2025, Slaughter was among the over 254 MPs to sign a cross-party letter calling for the government to immediately recognise the state of Palestine. The letter called on the prime minister and foreign secretary to recognise Palestine at the UN Conference then taking place in New York.

Palestinian recognition vote (2014): In October 2014, Slaughter was one of 192 Labour MPs who voted in favour of recognising Palestine as a state. The motion, passed by 274 votes to 12, called on the government to “recognise the state of Palestine alongside the state of Israel as a contribution to securing a negotiated two-state solution”.

Before Politics

Born Andrew Francis Slaughter in Hammersmith, London on 29 September 1960, he attended local schools before studying English at the University of Exeter.

He joined the Labour Party in 1983.

He worked for the British Safety Council, Hammersmith and Fulham Council staff, as an adviser to Labour MP Michael Meacher as shadow secretary of state for employment and later social security.

Slaughter later retrained in law and qualified as a barrister in 1993, practising in personal injury and housing law until his election in 2005.