Edward Argar is the Conservative MP for Melton and Syston, having first been elected to parliament at the 2015 general election for the predecessor constituency of Charnwood.

In the 2024 general election for Melton and Syston, Argar received 17,526 votes, representing 38.1% of the vote share. The Labour candidate, Zafran Khan, received 12,130 votes (26.4%), while the Reform UK candidate, Pete Morris, secured 8,945 votes (19.5%). Argar was duly elected with a majority of 5,396 votes.  

The Melton and Syston constituency is located in Leicestershire in the East Midlands region of England. It is a new seat created for the 2024 election, formed from parts of the former Charnwood, Rutland and Melton, and Loughborough constituencies. Major settlements include Melton Mowbray and Syston.  

Political Career

Argar was appointed as the shadow secretary of state for health and social care, appointed in November 2024. He left this post following Kemi Badenoch’s July 2025 shadow cabinet reshuffle.

Argar stood down from the frontbench following a “health scare”.

In his letter of resignation, Argar wrote: “As you [ Badenoch] and the chief whip are aware, and I am grateful for the kindness you both showed, I had a health scare earlier this summer, and remain grateful to the doctors and hospital staff who looked after me in the course of that a previous health issue from last year, which has continued to impact me, was found”.

He added: “I have been well looked after, but have also listened to what the doctors said to me, and have listened to my family and have concluded that lightening my frontbench workload over the coming months, in order to complete my recovery and fully restore my health in that period, is the sensible approach.”

Argar previously served as shadow secretary of state for justice and shadow lord chancellor from July to November 2024 on the interim/caretaker frontbench constructed by Rishi Sunak after the general election of the same year.

Prior to the 2024 general election, which saw the Conservatives ejected from government, Argar held several government positions. Most recently, under Rishi Sunak, he was minister of state at the Ministry of Justice, with responsibilities covering victims and sentencing (October 2022 – November 2023) and then prisons, parole and probation (November 2023 – July 2024).

Under Liz Truss, Argar briefly (for just 11 days) served as chief secretary to the Treasury (14 October – 25 October 2022) and before that as paymaster general and minister for the Cabinet Office (September 2022 – October 2022).

Argar’s appointment as chief secretary to the Treasury came in the wake of the September 2022 mini-budget, which preceded the demotion of his predecessor Chris Philp and eventually Truss’ resignation as prime minister.

Under Boris Johnson, Argar was minister of state at the Department of Health and Social Care from September 2019 until July 2022. He resigned from this position in July 2022 as part of the mass walkout of ministers that ultimately forced Boris Johnson to announce his own resignation.

In his resignation letter, Argar stated: “I believe, with regret, that it is now the time to consider the future, and the ‘big call’ of how we face that future with integrity, and in that context I fear that a change is needed in order for our party to continue to deliver on our shared ambitions for our country.”

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Previously, Argar served as parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Ministry of Justice from June 2018 to September 2019 under prime ministers Theresa May and Johnson.

Argar was a member of the House of Commons procedure committee from 2015 to 2016.

Argar delivered his maiden speech on 4 June 2015 during a debate on the queen’s speech.

In it, he said: “Every day I will strive to help build the one nation the prime minister has spoken about and in which I passionately believe, and every day I will humbly endeavour to repay the honour and trust that the people of Charnwood have placed in me.”

Before entering parliament, Argar served as a Conservative councillor on Westminster city council from 2006 to 2015. He became a member of the council’s cabinet in 2008.

Argar unsuccessfully contested the Oxford East constituency at the 2010 general election.

Political Views

Leadership elections and loyalty

Tory leadership 2024: Argar supported Robert Jenrick’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.

It was seen as a notable endorsement, as Argar and Jenrick were considered to be from different wings of the party. Argar was said to be more aligned with the “one nation” or “moderate” wing.

Jenrick, a former immigration minister, positioned himself on the right wing of the party, advocating for the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). He emerged as an early frontrunner, topping the first two parliamentary ballots. After reaching the final two, he was defeated in the membership vote by Kemi Badenoch, receiving 41,388 votes (43.5%) compared to Badenoch’s 53,806 (56.5%).

Tory leadership 2022 (I): Argar supported Sajid Javid’s candidacy in the Conservative Party’s July-September 2022 leadership election. The contest was triggered by the resignation of Boris Johnson, following the mass exodus of more than 60 frontbenchers.

Javid, whose resignation as health secretary had helped spark the government crisis, pledged to reverse the recent national insurance rise. He argued that the party needed to restore its reputation for integrity and economic competence. Javid withdrew from the contest shortly before the nominations deadline, after failing to secure enough support from fellow MPs to reach the required 20-nomination threshold.

Argar went on to support Liz Truss’ successful candidacy.

Tory leadership 2022 (II): Argar supported Rishi Sunak’s candidacy in the Conservative Party’s October 2022 leadership election. The contest was triggered by the resignation of Liz Truss after just 45 days in office, following the financial and political tailspin triggered by her “mini-budget”.

Sunak, the former chancellor, had finished second to Truss in the previous contest. Unlike the summer contest, this election featured an expedited process requiring each candidate to secure at least 100 nominations from MPs to proceed. Sunak, having emerged as the clear frontrunner, was declared leader of the Conservative Party unopposed on 24 October.

Tory leadership 2019: Argar supported Javid for the party’s leadership in 2019. The election was triggered by the resignation of Theresa May following her inability to secure a Brexit deal acceptable to the Conservative Party.

Javid, the then-home secretary, successfully reached the final four of the parliamentary stages, but was eliminated in the fourth ballot on 20 June after receiving 34 votes.

Tory leadership 2016: Argar supported Theresa May for the party’s leadership in July 2016. The contest was triggered by the resignation of David Cameron following the UK’s vote to leave the European Union.

May, the then-home secretary, secured a commanding lead in the parliamentary stages, receiving 165 votes in the first ballot and 199 in the second. Following the withdrawal of her final rival, Andrea Leadsom, on 11 July, May was declared leader unopposed and was appointed prime minister two days later.

Factional identity and party tradition

Bright Blue: Argar is listed as a parliamentary supporter of Bright Blue, an independent centre-right think tank and membership organisation that champions liberal conservatism in the UK. Since its founding in 2014, it has been associated with the “modernising” or “one nation” wing of the Conservative Party. The organisation has since expanded its reach through a new cross-party strategy.

Brexit and Europe

Brexit referendum: Argar supported remain in the 2016 Brexit referendum, and therefore disagreed with a majority of constituents, 57.9% of whom voted to leave.

Article 50: In February 2017, Argar 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.

Customs union vote (2025): In December 2025, Argar 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

Argar voted against 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): Argar 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.

Foreign policy and security

Sanctioned (Russia): In April 2022, Argar was among the group of MPs placed on a sanctions list by the Russian government. The measure barred them from entering Russia and was presented by Moscow as a retaliatory response to the UK’s stance on the invasion of Ukraine.

Trident renewal (2016): Argar 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.

Syria airstrikes (2015): Argar voted in favour of 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.

Before Politics

Born Edward John Comport Argar on 9 December 1977 in Ashford, Kent, he grew up in Kent where both his parents were teachers. He was educated at Harvey Grammar School.

Argar studied modern history at Oriel College, University of Oxford, graduating with a 2:1 degree. After university, he worked for four years as press secretary to the then shadow foreign secretary, Lord Ancram (Michael Ancram).

Following this, Argar worked for management consultancies Hedra and then Serco, where he became head of public affairs for UK and Europe. In February 2013, while at Serco, he was elected onto the south east regional council of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).

Personal Life

Argar lives locally in the Melton and Syston constituency with his wife.  

Trivia

Argar enjoys cricket.

Before being selected for the safe seat of Charnwood in 2015, he had attended parliamentary selection processes in Newark, Tonbridge and Malling, Wealden and Mid Worcestershire.