Laura Trott is the Conservative MP for Sevenoaks, having first been elected to parliament at the 2019 general election.

In the 2024 general election, Trott received 18,328 votes, representing 36.7% of the vote share. The Liberal Democrat candidate, Richard Streatfeild, received 12,888 votes (25.8%), while the Reform UK candidate, James Milmine, secured 9,341 votes (18.7%). Trott was duly re-elected with a majority of 5,440 votes.

The Sevenoaks seat has been held by the Conservative Party continuously since 1924 and is considered one of the party’s safest seats. Trott succeeded Sir Michael Fallon, the former defence secretary, who represented the seat from 1997 to 2019.

Political Career

Trott currently serves in the shadow cabinet as shadow secretary of state for education (since November 2024). She was previously shadow chief secretary to the treasury from July to November 2024 in the interim/caretaker shadow frontbench constructed by Rishi Sunak after the general election of that year.

Prior to the 2024 general election, which saw the Conservatives ejected from government, Trott was chief secretary to the Treasury (November 2023 – July 2024). Prior to that, she was parliamentary under-secretary of state for pensions at the Department for Work and Pensions from October 2022 to November 2023.

Trott previously served as parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to the Department for Transport from September 2021. She resigned from this post in July 2022 as part of the mass walkout of ministers that ultimately forced Boris Johnson to announce his own resignation.

In her resignation statement, Trott said that trust in politics was of the “utmost importance, but sadly in recent months this has been lost.”

Trott sat on the House of Commons health and social care committee from March 2020 to November 2022.

As a backbencher, Trott introduced the Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021 as a private members’ bill (PMB). The legislation makes it illegal to administer botulinum toxin or fillers for cosmetic purposes to those under the age of 18.

Trott delivered her maiden speech on 16 January 2020, during a debate on health and social care.

In it, she said: “Although the constituency is known for both its greenery and transporting much of its population to work in London, there is significant entrepreneurship, with 7,000 businesses in Sevenoaks.

“We are also developing some fantastic expertise in wine and beer. Squerryes, Westerham Brewery and the Mount Vineyard are creating world-class produce and deserve to become international brands.”

She added: “I went to a comprehensive and was the first in my family to go to university. My grandfather on one side was a milkman and, on the other, a doorman at The Sun. My grandmother was one of the smartest people I have met.

“She got a scholarship to a good school, but was not allowed to go as they could not afford the uniform. The thing that changed the fortunes of my family was the great education that my mum and dad received.”

Before entering parliament, Trott worked for an extended period as a political adviser.

Trott was a special adviser in the Cabinet Office from 2010 to 2012, before serving in the No 10 policy unit under prime minister David Cameron from 2012 to 2015. She subsequently became Cameron’s director of strategic communications from 2015 until his resignation in 2016.

Political Views

Leadership elections and loyalty

Tory leadership 2024: Trott supported Kemi Badenoch’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.

Badenoch, the then-shadow housing secretary, was seen as a leading figure on the party’s right wing. After finishing first in the final parliamentary ballot with 42 votes, she defeated Robert Jenrick in the membership vote with 53,806 votes (56.5%). Badenoch was declared Conservative leader on 2 November.

Tory leadership 2022 (I): Trott supported Rishi Sunak’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.

Sunak, the former chancellor, warned against “comforting fairytales” regarding unfunded tax cuts. Although he won every round of the parliamentary ballots, securing 137 votes in the final stage, Sunak was defeated by Liz Truss in the membership vote, finishing with 60,399 votes (42.6%).

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

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.

Factional identity and party tradition

China Research Group: Trott was a founding member of the China Research Group (CRG). The CRG was established in 2020 by a group of Conservative MPs to promote a more critical and questioning approach to the UK’s relationship with the People’s Republic of China. The CRG described its mission as aiming to “promote understanding, leading to fresh thinking about issues raised by the rise of China, and provide a trustworthy source of news and informed knowledge on China issues.”

Bright Blue: Trott has been 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, the organisation has expanded its reach through a new cross-party strategy.

Brexit and Europe

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

Trott 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). She was one of six shadow cabinet members and 20 Tory MPs to back the assisted dying bill at third reading.

Social values and conscience issues

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): Trott 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.

Before Politics

Born Laura Trott in 1984, she grew up in Oxted, Surrey.

She attended Oxted School, a local comprehensive. She studied history and economics at Pembroke College, University of Oxford.

After graduating, Trott worked as a management consultant for Booz & Company.

She then moved into political roles. Following Cameron’s resignation, she became a partner at the communications firm Portland Communications.

Personal Life

Trott is married to Bahador Mahvelati. They have a daughter and twin sons together.

Trivia

Trott was awarded an MBE in Cameron’s resignation honours list in 2016 for her political and public service.