Fabian Hamilton

Following a career as a graphic designer and a computer systems consultant for Apple, Fabian Hamilton has been Labour MP for Leeds North East since 1997. Hamilton was elected as a councillor on Leeds City Council in 1987 before becoming chairman of the Leeds West Constituency Labour party. He first contested the Leeds North East seat in 1992, achieving a 5.9 per cent swing despite being unsuccessful in unseating the incumbent. After his constituency chose an all-female shortlist for the 1997 general election, Labour’s National Executive Committee vetoed the selection and Hamilton was able to stand and win with a further 11.9 per cent swing. Hamilton has served on a number of committees, including Foreign Affairs, International Development and the National Security Strategy, as well as recently acting as shadow minister for defence and, currently, for foreign and commonwealth affairs. Appointed by then-Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn to shadow Europe minister in June 2016, Hamilton resigned after only four days in post over Corbyn’s handling of the Chakrabarti Inquiry into anti-semitism, returning in November 2016. Hamilton is a forward-thinking MP, and thought to have been the first to offer video-call surgeries to his constituents.