Laura Rose Farris[1] (née McNair-Wilson; born 13 June 1978)[2] is a British Conservative politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Newbury since the 2019 general election. Prior to her parliamentary career, she worked as a journalist and later as a barrister. She has been Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Victims and Safeguarding since November 2023.[3]
Laura Farris | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2019 | |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Victims and Safeguarding | |
| Assumed office 13 November 2023 | |
| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Edward Argar (Victims) Sarah Dines (Safeguarding) |
| Member of Parliament for Newbury | |
| Assumed office 12 December 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Benyon |
| Majority | 16,047 (26.7%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Laura Rose McNair-Wilson 13 June 1978 Bucklebury, Berkshire, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Henry Farris (m. 2011) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford |
| Profession |
|
| Website | Official website |
Early life and career
Laura McNair-Wilson was born on 13 June 1978, and grew up in Bucklebury, West Berkshire.[4] Her father Michael McNair-Wilson and her uncle Patrick McNair-Wilson were Conservative MPs.[5]
She studied philosophy, politics and economics at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, graduating in 2000 with an upper second class degree.[4][6] She also holds a Graduate Diploma in Law from City, University of London, graduating in 2006, and took the Bar Vocational Course at BPP Law School in 2007.[6] She qualified as a barrister in 2007, practising mainly in employment law. Farris was appointed to the panel of counsel operated by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2015.[6]
Farris worked as a journalist for BBC and Reuters and also worked for Hillary Clinton when she was a United States Senator for New York.[7]
Parliamentary career
At the snap 2017 general election, Farris stood as the Conservative candidate in Leyton and Wanstead, coming second with 20.8% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP John Cryer.[8][9][10]
Farris was selected as the Conservative candidate for Newbury on 10 November 2019.[11] At the 2019 general election, Farris was elected as MP for Newbury, winning with 57.4% of the vote and a majority of 16,047 votes.[12] Her father had represented the constituency between 1974 and 1992.[13]
She has been a member of the Justice Select Committee since June 2021 and the Privileges Committee and the Standards Committee since March 2022. Farris was a member of the Home Affairs Select Committee from March 2020 to March 2022.[14] She identifies as a one-nation conservative.[15]
On 22 October 2021, Farris opposed a bill to prevent employers from firing employees and rehiring them on worse terms and conditions. She stated during the debate that the rules on fire and rehire needed to be tightened up, but the choice should be available as "an option of last resort" for companies facing insolvency.[16] In November 2021, a man was convicted of sending a malicious communication to Farris in 2020 and given a suspended sentence.[17][18]
Farris endorsed Rishi Sunak in the 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.[19]
Personal life
Farris married Henry Farris in 2011.[20] The couple have two daughters.[21][22][23]