Bill Esterson | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2020 | |
| Chair of theEnergy Security and Net Zero Select Committee | |
| Assumed office 11 September 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Angus MacNeil |
| Shadow Minister for Roads | |
| In office 5 September 2023 – 5 July 2024 | |
| Leader | Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Gill Furniss |
| Shadow Minister for Business and Industry | |
| In office 4 December 2021 – 5 September 2023 | |
| Leader | Sir Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Shadow Minister for International Trade | |
| In office 18 October 2016 – 4 December 2021 | |
| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn Sir Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Nia Griffith |
| Shadow Minister for Small Business | |
| In office 18 September 2015 – 9 April 2020 | |
| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Preceded by | Toby Perkins |
| Succeeded by | Lucy Powell |
| Member of Parliament forSefton Central | |
| Assumed office 6 May 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency Created |
| Majority | 18,282 (38.5%) |
| Member of Medway Council forRiver | |
| In office 1 May 2003 – 3 July 2010[1] | |
| Member of Medway Council forTown | |
| In office 1 April 1998 – 1 May 2003 | |
| Member of Rochester-upon-Medway City Council forSt Margaret’s and Borstal | |
| In office 4 May 1995 – 31 March 1998 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Roffen Esterson (1966-10-27)27 October 1966 (age 59) Kent, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | University of Leeds |
| Website | Official website |
William Roffen Esterson[2] (born 27 October 1966)[3] is a BritishLabour Party politician who has served asMember of Parliament (MP) forSefton Central since2010. He was Shadow Minister for Roads from 2023 to 2024,[4] and wasShadow Minister for Small Business from 2015 to 2020.
William Esterson was born on 27 October 1966. He attendedSir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School inRochester, Kent.[5] He holds a joint degree inMathematics andPhilosophy from theUniversity of Leeds. After graduation, Esterson trained with an accountancy firm and subsequently became director of a training consultancy.[6]
Prior to his election as an MP, Esterson was a councillor for River Ward inMedway.[7] When Medway Council was created in 1997, Esterson was elected to represent Town Ward. He represented Town Ward until 2003, when boundary changes were implemented. He was a councillor for St Margaret's and Borstal ward onRochester-upon-Medway City Council which was dissolved to form Medway Council.[8] During his time as a councillor, Esterson served on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Education; Community and Local Government; and Treasury Select Committees.[9]
At the2010 general election, Esterson was elected to Parliament as MP forSefton Central with 41.9% of the vote and a majority of 3,862.[10]
Esterson contributed to theHillsborough debate in the House of Commons on 17 October 2011 by reading directly the words of a bereaved father. In September 2011 he contributed to the bookWhat next for Labour? Ideas for a new generation. His chapter was entitledA Campaigning Party.[11]
In January 2015, Esterson proposed a bill which would introduce compulsory labelling of alcoholic drinks warning about potential dangers from drinking during pregnancy.[12]
At the2015 general election, Esterson was re-elected as MP for Sefton Central with an increased vote share of 53.8% and an increased majority of 11,846.[13][14]
He was made Shadow Minister for Small Business followingJeremy Corbyn'selection asLeader of the Labour Party in September 2015.[15] However, he supportedOwen Smith in the failed attempt to replace Corbyn in the2016 leadership election.[16] In October 2016, he was made Shadow Minister for International Trade.[9]
Esterson was again re-elected at the snap2017 general election with an increased vote share of 63% and an increased majority of 15,618.[17] At the2019 general election, Esterson was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 57.5% and a decreased majority of 15,122.[18][19]
Esterson endorsedKeir Starmer in the2020 Labour Party leadership election.[20] After Starmer's victory in the contest, Esterson was sacked as Shadow Small Business Minister, but reappointed as Shadow International Trade Minister.[9] He became Shadow Minister for Business and Industry as part ofStarmer's shadow cabinet reshuffle.[21]
In the2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle, he became Shadow Minister for Roads.[4]
At the2024 general election, Esterson was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 56.4% and an increased majority of 18,282.[22]
Esterson is married with two children.[6]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forSefton Central 2010–present | Incumbent |
