Satvir Kaur is the Labour Party MP for Southampton Test, having first been elected to parliament at the 2024 general election.

In the 2024 general election, Kaur received 15,945 votes (44.5%). The Conservative candidate, Ben Burcombe-Filer, received 6,612 votes (18.5%), while the Reform UK candidate, John Edwards, secured 5,261 votes (14.7%). Kaur was duly elected with a majority of 9,333.

The Southampton Test has been held by Labour since 1997. Kaur’s immediate predecessor as the MP for the seat was Alan Whitehead, who stood down at the 2024 election.

Political Career

Kaur currently serves as parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Home Office and parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (minister for equalities). She was appointed to this role in July 2026, following the Labour leadership contest and Andy Burnham’s elevation as prime minister.

Kaur served as parliamentary secretary in the Cabinet Office from September 2025 to July 2026.

Kaur expressed her support for the prime minister, Keir Starmer, after the 2026 local and devolved parliament elections.

She stated: “Of course, lessons needs to be learnt from the local election results. It’s clear to me that, more than anything, we need economic security, international stability, and for people to see meaningful improvements in their daily lives.

“We won’t achieve any of this by turning inwards, creating instability and feeding uncertainty.”

She added: “Let’s stay united, and let’s get on with the job.”

Kaur delivered her maiden speech on 12 September 2024.

In it, she said: “One in every three children lives below the poverty line, and a person’s life expectancy can drop by 10 years simply by their being the wrong side of a bridge.

“Public services are on their knees, and many families I represent are struggling.

“That is why I want to be part of the renewal that this Labour government are promising, and want to rebuild the services on which my communities rely – from a decent home becoming a basic human right to people feeling safe in our streets and neighbourhoods again; from having access to healthcare when it is needed to protecting our environment and rivers.”

She added: “As someone who grew up in one of Southampton’s most deprived communities, I saw at first hand the importance of community and service to others…

“I may stand here as our constituency’s first female MP and MP of colour, but I know that there are many more before me who have paved the way. I feel that responsibility here as well, and feel their weight on my shoulders…

“Let me end by saying directly to them: I will be forever grateful to you for making this daughter of a market stall trader, who grew up in our inner city on free school meals, your Member of parliament.”

Before entering parliament, Kaur was elected as a Labour councillor on Southampton City Council in 2011. She served as leader of the council from 2022 to 2023. She stepped down as a councillor in August 2024.

Kaur was the first Sikh woman to lead a council in Britain and she introduced Keir Starmer at the Labour Party’s annual conference in 2022.

Political views

Factional identity and party tradition

Labour Growth Group: Kaur 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. The group, largely composed of MPs from the 2024 intake, positions itself as the voice of “the builders, not the blockers” and provides organised support for ministers taking on politically difficult decisions in the name of economic expansion.

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”.

They added: “This absolutely has to start with the sweeping planning reforms to get Britain building again. Under the Tories, planning permissions for new homes hit record lows and housebuilding cratered. Indeed, not once in their 14 years in power did the Conservatives meet their housing targets.

“Energy and transport projects were promised but not built. That’s why we are writing to you to make clear that it’s in the national interest to start delivering on our manifesto promise, including 1.5 million more homes across this parliament at the earliest opportunity.

“A failure to act will not be forgiven by the public. Britain has a housing crisis and a huge infrastructure deficit – without strong and immediate action, this will only worsen.”

Welfare

Welfare vote (July 2025): Kaur 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

Kaur 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).

In a statement issued at the time of the bill’s second reading, Kaur said: “While I may agree with the principle of assisted dying, and the strengths of the many important and legitimate arguments in favour, I am not yet sufficiently satisfied that the bill provides strong enough safeguards against misapplication.

“Until it does, I cannot in good conscience support it. Until I can, with total confidence, be reassured that the most vulnerable people in our society are fully protected, I will not be able to vote for this bill.”

Social values and conscience issues

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): Kaur 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

Kaur was born and raised in Southampton. Her family owned a sari shop in the city.

Kaur attended Mount Pleasant Juniors and St Anne’s Catholic School.

Kaur studied politics at the University of Southampton.

Personal Life

Kaur is of British Indian heritage and is Sikh.

Kaur was on maternity leave from 7 September 2025 until 22 February 2026.

Trivia

Kaur campaigned for Hillary Clinton during the 2016 US presidential election campaign in North Carolina.