Shabana Mahmood

The Right Honourable Shabana Mahmood MP
Official portrait, 2024
Secretary of State for Justice Lord Chancellor
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 July 2024
Prime Minister	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Alex Chalk
Shadow cabinet portfolios 2023–2024 Justice, Lord Chancellor 2021–2023 National Campaign Coordinator 2015–2015 Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 2010
Preceded by	Clare Short
Majority	3,421 (9.3%)
Personal details
Born	(1980-09-17) 17 September 1980 (age 43) Small Heath, Birmingham, England
Political party	Labour
Alma mater	Lincoln College, Oxford (BA)
Website	Official website

Shabana Mahmood (Urdu: شبانہ محمود; born 17 September 1980) is a British politician and barrister serving as Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice since 2024.^[1] A member of the Labour Party, she has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010.

Mahmood graduated in 2002 from Lincoln College, University of Oxford,^[2] and went on to complete the Bar Vocational Course at the Inns of Court School of Law in 2003 after receiving a scholarship. As a barrister, her specialism is in professional indemnity. Her selection as the Labour Party candidate for Birmingham Ladywood caused some dissent in the constituency party, but was found by an inquiry led by a member of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party to be legitimate.

In 2010, Mahmood was elected as MP for Birmingham Ladywood, becoming one of the UK's first female Muslim MPs, along with Rushanara Ali and Yasmin Qureshi. Mahmood has spoken about how her faith is the most important thing in her life, and said that it is the motivation for her to undertake public service.

On 5 July 2024, Shabana Mahmood was appointed as the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice in Sir Keir Starmer's first cabinet.