Seema Malhotra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Seema Malhotra MP
Official portrait, 2024
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 October 2024
Prime Minister	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Migration and Citizenship
Incumbent
Assumed office 9 July 2024
Prime Minister	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Tom Pursglove (Legal Migration and Border)
Shadow Minister for Skills
In office 5 September 2023 – 30 May 2024
Leader	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Toby Perkins
Shadow Minister for Business and Consumers
In office 14 May 2021 – 5 September 2023
Leader	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Lucy Powell
Succeeded by	Justin Madders (Business) Jeff Smith (Consumers)
Shadow Minister for Employment
In office 9 April 2020 – 14 May 2021
Leader	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Mike Amesbury
Succeeded by	Andy McDonald
Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury
In office 13 September 2015 – 26 June 2016
Leader	Jeremy Corbyn
Preceded by	Shabana Mahmood
Succeeded by	Rebecca Long-Bailey
Shadow Minister for Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls
In office 24 August 2014 – 13 September 2015
Leader	Ed Miliband Harriet Harman (Acting)
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Sarah Champion
Member of Parliament for Feltham and Heston
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 December 2011
Preceded by	Alan Keen
Majority	7,859 (16.4%)
Personal details
Born	(1972-08-07) 7 August 1972 (age 52) Hammersmith, London, England
Political party	Labour Co-operative
Spouse	Sushil Saluja ​ (m. 2005)​
Residences	The Vale, Chelsea, London, England
Alma mater	University of Warwick Aston University

Seema Malhotra (born 7 August 1972) is a British politician. She is a Member of Parliament (MP) for Feltham and Heston since 2011. An MP represents a specific area in the UK Parliament, speaking up for the people who live there. Seema Malhotra is part of the Labour and Co-operative parties.

Since July 2024, she has been a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Migration and Citizenship. This means she helps the government with important decisions about people moving into and out of the UK. She also became a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities in October 2024, working to make sure everyone is treated fairly. Before these roles, she held several important positions in the opposition, like a Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, which means she was part of the team that would have managed the country's money if her party were in power.

Early Life and Education

Seema Malhotra was born in Hammersmith, London, on 7 August 1972. She is one of five children. Her father was a shop owner, and her mother was Usha. Seema went to schools in the London Borough of Hounslow.

She later studied politics and philosophy at the University of Warwick. After that, she earned another degree in business and information studies from Aston University.

Starting Her Career

Before becoming an MP, Seema Malhotra worked as a management consultant. This job involves giving advice to businesses to help them improve. She worked for big companies like Accenture and PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

She also helped start the Fabian Women's Network. This group helps women get more involved in politics and public life. She was also the head of the Young Fabians, a group for younger members of the Fabian Society.

In 2004, Seema Malhotra ran for a seat in the London Assembly. She came in third place. Before 2010, when the Labour Party was in charge of the government, she worked as an adviser to government ministers. She also advised Harriet Harman when she was the temporary leader of the Labour Party.

Becoming an MP

Seema Malhotra first became an MP in December 2011. She won a special election called a by-election in the area of Feltham and Heston. She won by 6,203 votes. Her support grew in later elections, with her winning by even more votes in 2015 and 2017.

In 2014, she was given a new role by the Labour Party leader, Ed Miliband. She became the Shadow Minister for Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls. This meant she would have been a government minister for this important issue if Labour had won the next election.

In 2015, she became the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. This is a very important role in the opposition, focusing on the country's finances. In 2016, she stepped down from this role.

Helping Her Community

In 2017, Seema Malhotra started a local charity called Hounslow's Promise. The charity aims to help children in her local area have the best possible start in life. She is still involved with this charity today.

After Keir Starmer became the leader of the Labour Party in 2020, Seema Malhotra took on new roles. She became the Shadow Minister for Employment. In this role, she talked about how the COVID-19 pandemic affected people working in the aviation industry, especially in West London. She also helped organize a conference called "Blue Skies" to plan for the future of aviation. She continues to help lead the London West Innovation District, which works to create new ideas and jobs in areas like aviation and technology in West London.

In 2021, she became the Shadow Minister for Business and Consumers. Later, in 2023, she was appointed Shadow Minister for Skills and Further Education.

After the Labour Party won the election in July 2024, Seema Malhotra became a government minister. She was appointed Minister for Migration and Citizenship. In this role, she helps manage rules about who can enter the UK. For example, in September 2024, she announced new visa rules for people from Jordan entering the UK. She also became the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities in October 2024, working to promote fairness for everyone.

Personal Life

Seema Malhotra is married to Sushil Kumar Saluja. He is a management consultant and works in financial services. He also serves on the board of TheCityUK, a group that supports the UK's financial industry.