Lauren Edwards

Lauren Rae Edwards is an Australian-born British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament for Rochester and Strood since 2024.^[2]

Lauren Edwards MP
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament for Rochester and Strood
Incumbent
Assumed office 4 July 2024
Preceded by	Kelly Tolhurst
Majority	2,293 (5.4%)
Member of Medway Council for Rochester East and Warren Wood Rochester East (2021–2023)
In office 16 December 2021 – 16 December 2024 [1]
Preceded by	Nick Bowler
Succeeded by	David Finch
Personal details
Born	Lauren Rae Edwards Altona, Victoria, Australia
Political party	Labour
Alma mater	University of Adelaide London School of Economics

Early life and career

Edwards was born in Altona, Melbourne, Australia, and was educated at the University of Adelaide before moving to the UK in 2005 to study for a master's at the London School of Economics.^[3][4] Lauren has cited the "hope and optimism" prevalent in the United Kingdom during the early 2000s - characterised by the cultural and political climate shaped by New Labour, Britpop, and the 'Cool Britannia' movement - as a key factor in her decision to relocate to the UK.^[5]

Edwards worked as a parliamentary researcher for a number of Labour MPs including Barbara Keeley, Teresa Pearce and Lisa Nandy from 2008 to 2013.^[6][7] During this time she was Political Officer for Unite the Union's Parliamentary Staff Branch.^[8] From 2013 to 2016 she worked as a researcher at the postal section of the Communication Workers Union.^[9]

Edwards worked at the Bank of England before her selection as a parliamentary candidate, as a manager in financial regulation including a secondment to HM Treasury for about six months working on Brexit related legislation.^[3]

Edwards has an English-born mother and holds British citizenship.^[3]

Political career

In 2021, Edwards was elected to Medway Council in a by-election from Rochester East ward.^[10] She was cabinet member for economic and social regeneration and inward investment.^[11]

In 2024, she defeated incumbent Conservative MP Kelly Tolhurst to gain Rochester and Strood.

On 8 August 2024, Edwards issued an apology on Twitter following the emergence of tweets she wrote between 2009 and 2011 in which she used offensive language, described by The Guardian as a "series of 'racist' tweets", stating it was a "significant error of judgement".^[12][13]

In November 2024, Edwards voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which proposes to legalise assisted suicide.^{[14][non-primary source needed]} In a statement following the Third Reading, Edwards said: "I believe this Bill is one of the most important, compassionate, and empowering changes to healthcare we've seen in a generation. I want to be clear: this Bill is about choice. This choice does not replace hospice or palliative care."^[15]

Prior to the Second Reading of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, Edwards signed a reasoned amendment opposing the legislation. She cited concerns over proposed changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) eligibility, stating that she could not support the bill in its original form due to the implications for passported benefits such as Carer’s Allowance.^[16]

Following the Government’s announcement of additional investment to support people into work, and the removal of Clause 5 – which contained the proposed changes to PIP eligibility – Edwards voted in favour of the bill.^{[17][non-primary source needed]}