Sarah Russell (politician)

Sarah Russell
Member of Parliament
for Congleton
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byFiona Bruce
Majority3,387 (6.8%)
Personal details
Political partyLabour
Children3[1]

Sarah Alison Russell[2] is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Congleton since 2024. She is the first Labour politician to represent Congleton, having defeated the incumbent Conservative MP Fiona Bruce.[3][4]

Russell is a solicitor and a former councillor in Manchester.[1][5]

Early life and career[edit]

Russell studied politics at the University of York, graduating in 2004.[6] She then completed the Graduate Diploma in Law and Bar Vocational Course at BPP University, as well as a Masters of Law at King's College London.

While working as a paralegal at Pattison & Brewer in London, she cross-qualified as a solicitor, developing a practice in employment law.[6] She then worked for several years at Slater & Gordon before moving to Fox Whitfield and Rebel Law Ltd to work as a consultant solicitor.[7][8]

Russell has also worked as a supervising solicitor at the Equality and Employment Law Centre.[7] She served as a trustee of Benchill Community Centre and was a school governor at Rackhouse Primary.[9]

Political career[edit]

Between 2014 and 2023, Russell represented Northenden ward as a councillor on Manchester City Council.[9] She served as chair of the council's Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee as well as vice-chair of the Wythenshawe Community Housing Group.[10]

Russell later became chair of the Congleton Labour Party.[11]

Ahead of the 2024 general election, Russell was selected as the prospective Labour candidate for Congleton.[5] She was elected as MP with 37.7% of the vote and a majority of 3,387 votes.[3] She overturned a majority of over 18,000 votes.

Personal life[edit]

Russell is married with three children and lives in Congleton.[12]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Labour names election candidate". Congleton Chronicle. 21 March 2024. p. 1.
  2. ^ "Sarah Russell - Candidate for Congleton in UK Parliamentary general election". Democracy Club Candidates. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  3. ^ a b "Congleton General Election 2024". Sky News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  4. ^ Watterson, Kaleigh (5 July 2024). "Historic wins for Labour in Cheshire". BBC News. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b Watterson, Kaleigh (18 April 2024). "Congleton: Former city councillor to stand for Cheshire seat". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-07-06.
  6. ^ a b "My legal life: Sarah Russell, Fox Whitfield". Law Gazette. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  7. ^ a b "Sarah Alison Russell - The Law Society". solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  8. ^ "Sarah Russell". Employment Lawyers in Manchester, Bristol, Southampton, Cheshire, North Yorkshire - Fox Whitfield. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  9. ^ a b "Sarah Russell". Manchester Labour. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  10. ^ "One to watch – Sarah Russell, vice-chair, Wythenshawe Community Housing Group". Inside Housing. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  11. ^ "Meet The Team". www.congletonlabourparty.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  12. ^ "Sarah Russell". www.congletonlabourparty.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Congleton
2024 – Present
Succeeded by
Incumbent