Sir Ashley Fox is the Conservative MP for Bridgwater, having first been elected to parliament at the 2024 general election.

In the 2024 general election, Fox received 12,281 votes (30.6%). The Labour candidate, Leigh Redman, secured 10,932 votes (27.2%), while the Reform UK candidate, William Fagg, polled 8,913 votes (22.2%0. Fox was elected with a majority of 1,349 votes.

The Bridgwater constituency is located in Somerset, South West England. The seat was re-established for the 2024 election, primarily formed from the abolished Bridgwater and West Somerset constituency.

The predecessor seat, Bridgwater and West Somerset, was held by the Conservative Party from 2010 to 2024.

Political Career

Fox currently serves as shadow parliamentary under secretary of state for energy security and a senior opposition whip. He was appointed to these roles as part of the August/September 2026 shadow ministerial reshuffle, Kemi Badenoch’s second as Conservative leader.

Additionally, Fox is a member of the House of Commons justice select committee (since October 2024) – the committee responsible for examining the policies and spending of the Ministry of Justice and associated public bodies. Its remit includes the courts, legal aid, prisons, probation and the rule of law. It also advises on sentencing guidelines.

Fox served as an opposition assistant whip on the Conservative frontbench from November 2024 to September 2026.

Fox has been listed as a member of the all-party parliamentary groups (APPGs) for fairgrounds and crocuses (co-chair), flooding and flooded communities and open banking and payments.

Fox delivered his maiden speech on 23 July 2024 during a debate on immigration and home affairs.

In it, he said: “In this country, we often credit Winston Churchill for his opposition to the policy of appeasement of Nazi Germany, but it is less remembered that the Labour Party under Attlee, Bevin and Dalton was the strongest opponent of that disastrous policy.”

He added: “I am sure that all members, but especially Labour members, will be mindful of their party’s proud history of opposing appeasement as this government decide how to support Ukraine and how best to deter future Russian aggression in Europe.”

Fox has extensive prior political experience. He served as a member of the European Parliament (MEP) for South West England from 2009 to 2019.

During this time, Fox was leader of the UK Conservatives in the European Parliament (2014-2019) and chief whip of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) (2010-2014).

Fox was appointed a Knight Bachelor in Theresa May’s resignation honours list in 2019 for public and political service.

Before becoming an MEP, Fox was a councillor on Bristol City Council from 2002 to 2010. He was chairman of the Bristol West Conservative Association (1998-2000).

Fox stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative candidate for Bath in the 2001 general election.

From 2020 to 2023, Fox served as the first chairman of the Independent Monitoring Authority for the Citizens’ Rights Agreements (IMA) – an independent non-departmental public body established under the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement. The body monitors the functioning of the provisions of the Brexit withdrawal agreement relating to citizens’ rights.

He stepped down in September 2023, commenting: “I have been honoured to be the inaugural chair of the IMA.

“During the last three years I have been privileged to work alongside colleagues across the organisation to help to establish the IMA and ensure the important work of ensuring the rights of EU and EEA EFTA citizens living in the UK and Gibraltar since the UK left the EU are upheld by public bodies.”

Fox’s resignation came after his selection as the Conservative candidate for the Bridgwater ahead of the 2024 general election. This was despite previously promising members of the justice select committee that he would not seek election to parliament, according to reports. Fox delivered such a commitment as part of his pre-appointment hearing in 2020.

Fox is reported to have said: “I am happy to confirm that it is not my intention to seek or hold elected public office during my term as chair of the Independent Monitoring Authority.”

Political Views

Leadership elections

Tory leadership 2024: Fox supported James Cleverly’s candidacy in the 2024 Conservative Party leadership election. The contest was triggered by the resignation of Rishi Sunak following the party’s defeat in the 2024 general election.

During the contest, Cleverly, the shadow home secretary, urged the party to “be more normal”. On 9 October, in a major upset, Cleverly was eliminated in the fourth ballot after his support dropped to 37 votes. The result was widely attributed to a failure of tactical voting by supporters who assumed his place in the final two was secure.

Brexit and Europe

Customs union vote (2025): In December 2025, Fox voted against the UK-EU Customs Union (Duty to Negotiate) Bill. The bill, introduced under the ten-minute rule procedure by Liberal Democrat Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton, sought to mandate the government to enter into negotiations with the European Union to establish a bespoke customs union.

Assisted dying

Fox 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). He was one of 20 Tory MPs to back the assisted dying bill at third reading.

Social values and conscience issues

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): Fox voted against 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.

Before Politics

Born Ashley Peter Fox on 15 November 1969 in Sutton Coldfield, he attended the King’s School, Worcester and studied law at Bristol Polytechnic. He qualified as a solicitor in 1994.

Before his election as an MEP in 2009, Fox worked for 15 years as a solicitor in Bristol, specialising in insurance litigation.

Upon leaving the European Parliament, Fox set up his own company, Ashley Fox Consulting.

Personal Life

Fox is married to Julia. They have two children.

Trivia

Fox has served as a member of two parliaments.