Satvir Kaur | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament forSouthampton Test | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Alan Whitehead |
| Majority | 9,333 (26.0%) |
| Leader ofSouthampton City Council | |
| In office 18 May 2022 – 20 December 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Daniel Fitzhenry |
| Succeeded by | Lorna Fielker |
| Member ofSouthampton City Council forShirley | |
| In office 6 May 2011 – 29 August 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Matthew Dean |
| Succeeded by | George Percival |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Southampton,Hampshire, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | University of Southampton Solent University |
Satvir Kaur is a BritishLabour Party politician serving as theMember of Parliament forSouthampton Test since2024. She previously served as Leader ofSouthampton City Council from 2022 to 2023, being the first female Sikh leader of a local authority in Britain. She also representedShirley on the City Council from 2011 until 2024.
Kaur was born and raised inSouthampton, England.[1] Her family owned asari shop in theBevois area of the city.[2]
Kaur was educated at Mount Pleasant Juniors andSt Anne's Catholic School.[3] She graduated with a degree in Politics from theUniversity of Southampton, and later Law fromSolent University.[4]
At the2011 local elections, Kaur was elected to representShirley ward onSouthampton City Council.[5] She gained the seat from the incumbentConservative, and was re-elected in2015 and2019. Kaur campaigned forHillary Clinton inNorth Carolina, USA ahead of the2016 presidential election.[6]
After Labour lost control of Southampton City Council in2021,[7] she was elected as leader of the Labour group.[8] Kaur became council leader once Labour regained their majority in2022.[9][10] She was the first femaleSikh council leader in Britain.[11]
Kaur was selected as Labour'sprospective parliamentary candidate forSouthampton Test in July 2022.[12][13] Later that year, she introduced party leaderKeir Starmer ahead of his speech at theLabour Party Conference.[14]
In May 2023, Kaur stated as City Council leader that "we are not facing bankruptcy. To say otherwise is a lie and political opportunism".[15] In July 2023, Southampton City Council alerted the government over financial emergency.[16]
In December 2023, Kaur announced that she was stepping down as council leader in order to focus on campaigning for the general election.[17] She was succeeded by her deputy leader, Lorna Fielker.[18]
In July 2024 she was elected as theMember of Parliament forSouthampton Test, succeedingAlan Whitehead.[19][20] She later resigned her seat on the council.[21] The by-election to replace her was held on 10 October 2024.[22] The seat was won byLiberal Democrat candidate George Percival.[23]
Kaur supports establishing an investment zone in Southampton.[24] She has spoken at an event marking the positive contribution of refugees to her city.[25]
In September 2024, Kaur voted with the Government on the winter fuel allowance.[26] In November 2024, Kaur voted against theTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.[27]
