Shabana Mahmood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shabana Mahmood
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Official portrait, 2025
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| Home Secretary | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 5 September 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Yvette Cooper | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| In office 5 July 2024 – 5 September 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Alex Chalk | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | David Lammy | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood |
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| Assumed office 6 May 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Clare Short | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Majority | 3,421 (9.4%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 17 September 1980 Birmingham, West Midlands, England |
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| Political party | Labour | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Small Heath School King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls |
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| Alma mater | Lincoln College, Oxford (BA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Shabana Mahmood (born 17 September 1980) is a British politician and lawyer. She has been the Home Secretary since September 2025. Before this, she was the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor from July 2024 to September 2025. She is a member of the Labour Party.
She has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010. She also chairs the Labour Party's National Executive Committee, which is the party's main governing body.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Shabana Mahmood was born in Birmingham, England, on 17 September 1980. Her parents came from Pakistan. She is the oldest of four children. From 1981 to 1986, she lived in Saudi Arabia with her family. Her father worked there as an engineer.
After returning to Birmingham, she attended Small Heath School and King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls. Her mother worked in a family shop, and her father was involved in local politics. Shabana often helped him with election campaigns.
She studied law at Lincoln College, Oxford at the University of Oxford. She graduated in 2002. She then completed her training to become a barrister in 2003. As a barrister, she specialized in professional indemnity law, which deals with protecting professionals from legal claims.
Parliamentary Career
Becoming an MP (2010–2015)
In 2010, Shabana Mahmood was chosen to run as the Labour Party candidate for Birmingham Ladywood. She was elected as the MP for Birmingham Ladywood in the 2010 United Kingdom general election. She won with a large number of votes.
With her election, she became one of the first female Muslim MPs in the UK. During this time, the Labour Party was the main opposition party. She held several important roles, including Shadow Minister for Prisons and Shadow Minister for Higher Education.
In the 2015 United Kingdom general election, she was re-elected as MP for Birmingham Ladywood. She received even more votes than before. After the election, she became the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Working from the Backbenches (2015–2021)
In September 2015, Shabana Mahmood decided to step down from her role in the shadow cabinet. She had different ideas about economic matters from the new Labour leader. She continued to represent her constituents as an MP.
She was re-elected in the 2017 United Kingdom general election and again in the 2019 United Kingdom general election. During these years, she focused on her work as a Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood.
Returning to Leadership Roles (2021–2024)
In May 2021, Shabana Mahmood returned to the shadow cabinet. She became the National Campaign Coordinator for the Labour Party. In this role, she helped organize and improve the party's election campaigns.
In September 2023, she was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Justice. This meant she was the main opposition spokesperson for justice matters. In the 2024 United Kingdom general election, she was re-elected as MP for Birmingham Ladywood.
Government Roles
Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor (2024–2025)
On 5 July 2024, Shabana Mahmood was appointed Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor. This made her the first Muslim and third woman to hold the position of Lord Chancellor in history.
In this role, she was responsible for the justice system in the UK. She introduced plans to help manage the number of people in prisons. She also spoke about the importance of upholding the law following public order issues in 2024.
Home Secretary (2025–Present)
On 5 September 2025, Shabana Mahmood became the Home Secretary. This is a very important job in the government. The Home Secretary is in charge of national security, policing, and immigration.
During her time as Home Secretary, she has focused on managing immigration to the United Kingdom. She has introduced changes to rules for people seeking refuge and for those who want to settle in the UK. She also announced new rules for public demonstrations to ensure safety and order.
In November 2025, she welcomed a decrease in the number of people moving to the UK. She also presented a plan to change the asylum and immigration system. In March 2026, she announced that people granted refugee status would receive temporary protection. Their status would be reviewed regularly.
In January 2026, she announced plans to use more technology, like facial recognition, to help police keep people safe. This technology helps identify individuals on police watchlists in public areas.
Political Views
Shabana Mahmood describes herself as a social conservative. She believes in traditional values and community. She has mentioned political leaders like Margaret Thatcher and Benazir Bhutto as inspirations. She admires them for becoming powerful women in challenging political systems.
She supports efforts to manage the number of people legally moving to the United Kingdom. She believes this helps local communities.
Personal Life
Shabana Mahmood is a devout Muslim. She has said that her faith is central to her life. It inspires her to serve the public and guides her daily actions.
Honours
Shabana Mahmood became a member of the Privy Council on 6 July 2024. This honor means she can use the title "The Right Honourable" for life.
See also
In Spanish: Shabana Mahmood para niños
