Florence Eshalomi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Florence Eshalomi MP
Official portrait, 2024
Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office 11 September 2024
Preceded by	Clive Betts
Member of Parliament for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green Vauxhall (2019–2024)
Incumbent
Assumed office 12 December 2019
Preceded by	Kate Hoey
Majority	15,112 (40.3%)
Shadow portfolios 2023–2024 Democracy 2022–2023 Cabinet Office 2020–2020 Whip
Member of the London Assembly for Lambeth and Southwark
In office 5 May 2016 – 6 May 2021
Preceded by	Valerie Shawcross
Succeeded by	Marina Ahmad
Member of Lambeth Council for Brixton Hill
In office 4 May 2006 – 3 May 2018
Personal details
Born	Florence Dauta Nosegbe (1980-09-18) 18 September 1980 (age 44) Birmingham, England
Political party	Labour Co-op
Children	2
Alma mater	Middlesex University (BA)

Florence Dauta Eshalomi (born 18 September 1980) is a British politician. She has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green since 2019. Before that, she represented Vauxhall. She is a member of the Labour and Co-operative parties. From 2016 to 2021, she was also a member of the London Assembly (AM) for Lambeth and Southwark.

Becoming a Politician

Early Life and Education

Florence Eshalomi was born Florence Nosegbe in Birmingham. She grew up in Brixton as the oldest of three sisters. Her mother, Maria Da-Silva, was a school teacher. Florence helped care for her mother, who had sickle cell anaemia and kidney problems.

Florence went to local schools in Lambeth, including Durand Primary and St Helen's RC Primary. She also attended Bishop Thomas Grant Secondary School and St Francis Xavier Sixth Form College. She was the first person in her family to go to university. She earned a degree in Political & International Studies with Law from Middlesex University. She also studied in the Netherlands through the Erasmus Student Exchange.

First Jobs and Public Service

Eshalomi started working at age 16 at a Sainsbury's supermarket. She then worked in various roles that involved public service and campaigning. She was a policy officer in local government and helped the Labour Party during the 2005 general election. She also worked as a Public Affairs Manager for the Runnymede Trust, a group that works for race equality.

Political Journey

Starting in Local Government

Before joining the London Assembly, Florence worked for a public relations company. She served as a local councillor for Brixton Hill on Lambeth London Borough Council. She worked alongside Steve Reed, who later also became an MP.

Serving London

Eshalomi was elected to the London Assembly on 5 May 2016. She won with a large number of votes. In the Assembly, she was the main spokesperson for the Labour Group on transport issues. She also became the Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee. As an Assembly Member, she worked on important issues like gang crime and keeping local police stations open.

Becoming an MP

In October 2019, Florence Eshalomi was chosen as the Labour candidate for the Vauxhall parliamentary constituency. She took over from Kate Hoey, who had been the MP for 30 years. Eshalomi won the election and became a Member of Parliament.

She gave her first speech in the House of Commons on 17 January 2020. She spoke about her experience giving birth at St Thomas' Hospital in her constituency. She highlighted the importance of supporting doctors and nurses. In April 2020, she was promoted to a role as a whip for the opposition party.

Speaking Out on Identity

Florence Eshalomi and other black female MPs have sometimes been mistaken for each other in Parliament. Eshalomi has spoken out about this, saying it shows a "lazy racist view that all black people look the same." She believes that all politicians, especially women who have worked hard to get elected, deserve to be recognized for who they are. She pointed out that white female colleagues are not usually confused with each other, even if they change their hairstyles.

In December 2020, Eshalomi chose not to vote on a trade agreement between the UK and the EU. Because of this, she resigned from her role as a whip. In May 2021, she returned to the Labour front bench as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Angela Rayner, a senior Labour Party leader. In 2023, she became the Shadow Minister for Democracy.

In November 2023, Eshalomi did not vote on a motion calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. However, she quickly made it clear that she supports a humanitarian ceasefire and has called for one in Parliament many times.

Personal Life

Florence Eshalomi married Matthew in 2014. They have two children, both born at St Thomas' Hospital. She is a Christian and attends Our Lady Of The Rosary Roman Catholic church in Brixton.

Images for kids

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  Official portrait of Florence Eshalomi, 2024