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One of the UK's first female Muslim MPs has been appointed to oversee the Channel Islands' relationship with the UK, following Labour's election victory.
Shabana Mahmood, a Labour MP and former barrister, has been appointed as the new UK Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor following the party's landslide victory last week.
In this role, she will be responsible for overseeing relations with the Crown Dependencies and representing their interests to the UK government, but also offering challenge.
The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer has promised stability in government – and if Ms Mahmood lasts the full term of parliament in the job it will cut through years of ministerial churn at the Ministry which has been a source of scorn from Channel Island politicians.
She takes over from Conservative MP Alex Chalk, who was appointed by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, after previous incumbent Dominic Raab resigned in 2023. Prior to this, Brandon Lewis MP held the role when he served under Liz Truss, whose Premiership ended when she resigned after 45 days.
During the Johnson years the post was held by Robert Buckland first and then Dominic Raab.
43-year-old Ms Mahmood has represented Birmingham Ladywood since 2010 and secured 15,558 votes in her constituency last week, winning 42.5% of the vote.
Pictured: The Ministry of Justice building in Whitehall.
Ms Mahmood is the second woman to hold the position of Lord Chancellor and is one of the UK's first female Muslim MPs.
The Oxford University graduate and former barrister specialised in professional indemnity cases before entering politics.
Throughout her political career, Ms Mahmood has been a member of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East and has described herself as a supporter of Palestinian rights.
Ms Mahmood met Channel Island politicians at the Labour Party conference last year December.
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