Bill Esterson is the Labour MP for Sefton Central, having first been elected at the 2010 election.

In the 2024 general election, Esterson received 26,772 votes (56.4%). The Conservative candidate received 8,490 votes (17.9%), and the Reform UK candidate secured 5,767 votes (12.2%). Esterson was duly elected with a majority of 18,282.

The Sefton Central constituency is located in the north of Merseyside, situated between Liverpool and Southport. It contains the towns of Crosby, Formby, and Maghull, alongside other communities.

The seat was created in 2010, primarily from the former Crosby constituency (held by the Conservatives until 1997) and parts of Knowsley North and Sefton East. It has been held by Labour since its creation and is considered a safe seat for the party.

Political Career

Esterson currently chairs the energy security and net zero select committee (since September 2024). This commons select committee is responsible for scrutinising the policy, spending, and administration of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and its associated public bodies.

By virtue of this role, Esterson sits on the liaison committee – the “super committee” composed of the cross-party chairs of all the other commons select committees. It has a broad oversight role, but is best known for its questioning of the prime minister in sessions that take place two or three times a year.

Esterson was appointed as a government “business champion” for consulting in the North West – a role established in February 2025 to facilitate engagement between the Labour administration and the private sector.

The position was part of a network of approximately 40 MPs appointed by the Department for Business and Trade to act as conduits for industry views on government policy. The grouping operated under the oversight of Dan Tomlinson, the national “mission champion” for growth. However, the scheme was reportedly scrapped in July 2025 following a meeting at 10 Downing Street. According to a Guido Fawkes report, the business champions were told that their services were no longer required.

Prior to the 2024 general election, which saw Labour returned to power after 14 years in opposition, Esterson served extensively on his party’s frontbench. His roles included shadow minister for roads (2023-2024), shadow minister for business and industry (2021-2023), shadow minister for international trade (2016-2021), and shadow minister for small business (2015-2020).

Unlike many of his frontbench colleagues, Esterson did not resign in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership in June 2016.

Upon Corbyn’s election in 2015, Esterson stated: “Jeremy Corbyn’s victory was unprecedented. The result and the level of support he commanded throughout the leadership campaign shows that people support the Labour Party in the fight against the right wing Tory attacks on working people. Those attacks are leading to a fall in pay as the economy is undermined by the wrong economic policies by this government.

“​​Jeremy has a popular mandate and we should respect that. He has the backing of the members and he has my backing as leader of my party.”

Esterson ran Steve Rotheram’s successful campaign to become Liverpool city region’s first metro mayor.

In October 2021, Esterson appeared to criticise Keir Starmer for writing an article for the Sun newspaper. Esterson is the MP for Sefton Central in Merseyside. The Sun’s coverage of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster led to organised boycotts of the newspaper across Liverpool and the wider Merseyside region.

He posted to Twitter (now X): “I do not buy the S*n. I will not be writing for the S*n.”

https://x.com/Bill_Esterson/status/1444646742050418688

Speaking during a October 2011 commons debate on the Hillsborough disaster, Esterson said: “The families need to be satisfied that they have all the information, otherwise many will wonder whether they know the truth or not. Why did certain things happen? Who took the decisions? What was discussed by police officers?”

He added: “Did police officers agree a line? Why did the press say that Liverpool fans stole from the dead and urinated on the bodies? Why did The Sun vilify the dead and show them and their families such disrespect?”

In the 2014-2015 parliamentary session, Esterson presented the Alcohol Labelling (Pregnancy) Bill to parliament. The proposed legislation’s primary objective was to mandate clear, prominent health warnings on all alcoholic products and their packaging – specifically regarding the risks of drinking while pregnant.

Introducing his bill in the House of Commons, under the 10-minute rule procedure, Esterson it was known that heavy drinking during pregnancy increased the risk of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome – but there was “a lack of consensus” on the potential effects caused by a small amount of alcohol.

He told MPs: “Much scientific evidence suggests that there is no safe limit when it comes to drinking in pregnancy but sadly not everyone is aware of the dangers.”

He added: “My bill is about making sure that all the facts are available, and about avoiding confusing or conflicting advice, whether it comes from the government or from other sources. The existing labels are inadequate, which is why I am calling for a mandatory system of labelling that is clear, cannot be easily missed, and gives the best advice.

“That advice must be for women not to drink at all while they are pregnant or trying to conceive. Such a system of labelling should be designed to reduce the number of children who are damaged at great cost to themselves and to society.”

Esterson served as a member of the House of Commons Treasury committee from July 2015 to October 2015, the education committee from November 2010 to March 2015, the housing, communities and local government committee from November 2011 to February 2013, and the environment, food and rural affairs committee from July 2010 to June 2011.

Esterson was a contributor to the book What next for Labour? Ideas for a new generation. His chapter was entitled “A Campaigning Party”. The book, published in 2011, aimed to “discuss the ideological direction of the [Labour] Party post New Labour”.

Esterson is listed as a member of the all-party parliamentary groups (APPGs) for adoption and permanence, manufacturing and waterways.

He delivered his maiden speech on 3 June 2010 during a debate on European affairs. In it, he said: “The story of east European workers being paid less than British workers has relevance today. Like many other [MPs], I have heard countless tales of east European workers being paid less than the minimum wage, taking jobs that British workers would otherwise have been employed to do.

“I therefore hope that the government will confirm that the law is enforced, and that foreign nationals are not exploited in this way to their cost or to the cost of British workers.”

Esterson served as a Labour councillor in Kent for fifteen years before entering parliament. He was a councillor on Rochester-upon-Medway City Council from 1995 to 1998, and then on its successor authority, Medway Council, from 1998 until July 2010 (representing Town ward 1998-2003, River ward 2003-2010).

Political Views

Leadership elections and loyalty

Labour deputy leadership 2025: Esterson was one of 117 Labour MPs who nominated Lucy Powell for the party’s deputy leadership in September 2025. The election followed the resignation of Angela Rayner, who stepped down as deputy prime minister and deputy party leader after an investigation into her tax affairs. It marked the first time since 2007 that Labour had held a deputy leadership contest while in government.

Powell, the former leader of the House of Commons, was seen as a candidate representing the party’s “soft left”; she was support by leading soft left figures including Ed Miliband and Andy Burnham. She secured 117 nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), above the 80 required, and went on to win the election – defeating Bridget Phillipson with 54.3% of the vote.

Labour leadership 2020: Esterson 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.

https://x.com/Bill_Esterson/status/1213579973245706240

Labour leadership 2015: Esterson was one of 68 Labour MPs who nominated Andy Burnham 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.

Burnham, the shadow health secretary, was initially considered the frontrunner. He secured 68 nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), comfortably exceeding the 35 required to reach the final ballot. He ultimately finished second in the contest with 19% of the vote, losing to Jeremy Corbyn in the first round.

Corbyn loyalty list: In March 2016, Esterson was labelled as “neutral but not hostile” by the Corbyn leadership in a leaked list which categorised Labour MPs by their perceived loyalty.

Labour leadership 2016: Esterson 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.

In an interview with The House magazine, published September 2018, Esterson said: “There are many proud traditions within the party, and it’s extremely important that we retain all of them. We shouldn’t make the mistake of misunderstanding the difference between debate and division.

“There are healthy debates going on in the party about what the right policies are, about what the right agenda is, about what the right approach might be. To have that debate is a thoroughly good thing… The party of [Jeremy] Corbyn and the party of [Tony] Blair are the same party. That was true when Blair was leader, it’s true now that Corbyn’s leader.”

Labour leadership 2010: Esterson 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

Labour Growth Group: Esterson has been listed as a member of the Labour Growth Group (LGG) – a vocal faction of backbenchers committed to ensuring economic growth remains the central mission of the government. In an open letter addressed to Keir Starmer, issued upon the group’s founding in July 2024, LGG MPs said it was imperative that “the government grasps the nettle and goes for growth”.

Usdaw: Esterson is a member of the Usdaw Union Parliamentary Group – a group of MPs who are members of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) and work generally to represent the union’s interests within parliament.

Tribune group (2017): Esterson was listed among the supporters of the Tribune parliamentary group – a 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.”

SERA: Esterson has been listed as a member of the Socialist Environment and Resources Association (SERA) – a socialist society affiliated with the Labour Party. Founded in 1973, SERA is the party’s official environmental campaign group. The organisation campaigns on a wide range of issues, including renewable energy, biodiversity, air quality and the transition to a green economy. SERA describes its member MPs as “champions for the environment”.

Brexit and Europe

Brexit referendum: Esterson supported the Remain campaign in the 2016 referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union (EU), and therefore agreed with a majority of constituents, 55.9% of whom also voted to Remain.

Article 50: In February 2017, Esterson voted in favour of 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.

Remain pledge: During the 2019 general election campaign, Esterson 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.”

Welfare

Welfare vote (July 2025): Esterson 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

Esterson voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, better known as the assisted dying bill, at the second reading (November 2024). On the third reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Assisted Dying Bill) in June 2025, Esterson did not record a vote.

In a statement setting out his position, issued after the bill’s second reading, Esterson said: “When this issue was brought before parliament in 2015, I voted against the assisted dying bill. My view then, was that the necessary safeguards were not in place for the proposed legislation to move forward.

“After much consideration and reflection, it is clear to me that people with terminal illnesses should have the right to make decisions about their end of life. I am persuaded that this Bill could provide the necessary safeguards to enable terminally ill adults to request medically supervised assistance in ending their lives.”

Social values and conscience issues

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): Esterson 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.

Foreign policy and security

Trident renewal (2016): Esterson 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): Esterson 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): Esterson 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

Palestinian recognition vote (2014): In October 2014, Esterson 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 in Kent on 27 October 1966, Esterson attended Sir Joseph Williamson’s Mathematical School in Rochester. He graduated from the University of Leeds with a joint degree in Mathematics and Philosophy.  

After university, Esterson trained with an accountancy firm. He later became a director of a training consultancy business. 

Personal Life

Esterson is married and has two children.  

Trivia

Esterson’s grandfather, an electrician, worked on the rebuilding of the commons chamber after the Second World War. In his 2010 maiden speech, Esterson said his grandfather delivered the “first speech in the newly refurbished chamber”.

He told the House: “A number of the Polish workers who had served in the forces were also employed on the same work, and when the British workers, who were all strong trade unionists, discovered that the Polish workers were being paid less, they organised a meeting in this very chamber.

“My granddad, as the shop steward, made the first speech in the newly refurbished chamber. Unlike in the case of my granddad, there are clerks here to record my speech, but I am happy to claim that my granddad’s story is right, and that he gave his maiden speech here some 64 years before I did.”

Esterson is reported to count former Labour MP Dennis Skinner as among his political heroes.