Eleanor Laing is a British Conservative politician whose parliamentary career has spanned almost three decades. First elected as the Member of Parliament for Epping Forest in 1997, she represented the constituency until 2024 and became one of the longest-serving figures in the House of Commons. She was also a Deputy Speaker of the Commons from 2013 and became Chairman of Ways and Means in 2020, the first woman to hold that historic office. After leaving the Commons, she entered the House of Lords as Baroness Laing of Elderslie in 2024. She currently serves as a Conservative life peer and has continued to take part in parliamentary work.
Quick Bio: Eleanor Laing
| Personal Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Eleanor Fulton Laing |
| Current Title | Baroness Laing of Elderslie |
| Date of Birth | 1 February 1958 |
| Place of Birth | Paisley, Scotland |
| Political Party | Conservative |
| Former Constituency | Epping Forest |
| MP | 1997–2024 |
| Commons Deputy Speaker | 2013–2024 |
| Chairman of Ways and Means | 2020–2024 |
| House of Lords | Since 2024 |
| Profession Before Politics | Solicitor |
Early Life and Education
Eleanor Laing was born on 1 February 1958 in Paisley, Scotland, and was brought up in Elderslie. Her Scottish background later influenced her choice of title when she entered the House of Lords. In a 2024 House of Lords speech, she explained that Elderslie was the village where she was born and raised and where her grandfather had established a small business in the early twentieth century.
Laing studied at the University of Edinburgh and developed an interest in public affairs and politics during her university years. Before establishing herself in Westminster, she trained and worked as a solicitor. Her legal background would later prove useful during a parliamentary career that increasingly involved detailed knowledge of parliamentary procedure and the rules governing debates.
Beginning Her Political Career
Laing’s first attempt to enter the House of Commons came at the 1987 general election, when she contested Paisley North for the Conservative Party. Although she did not win the seat, the campaign represented an important early stage in her political career.
A decade later, she achieved electoral success in a very different constituency. At the 1997 general election, Laing was elected as the Conservative MP for Epping Forest. She subsequently retained the seat at successive general elections and represented the constituency for 27 years. Parliament records show that her Commons membership ran from 1 May 1997 until 30 May 2024.
Representing Epping Forest
During her years as Epping Forest MP, Laing became a familiar figure to residents across the constituency. Her parliamentary responsibilities included national political work as well as constituency matters involving local communities.
Her official website records her time as MP for Epping Forest from 1997 to 2024 and notes her long association with the constituency. Her local work included involvement with issues such as housing, community development and education. In 2024, for example, she highlighted new housing developments in the district and discussed the importance of providing affordable homes.
Her lengthy period representing one constituency was one of the defining features of her Commons career.
From Front-Bench Politics to the Speaker’s Chair
Laing held several parliamentary responsibilities during her early years in Westminster, including opposition roles. However, the most distinctive phase of her career came when she moved into the role of Deputy Speaker.
She became a Deputy Speaker in 2013. Rather than functioning as a conventional party politician while presiding over proceedings, a Deputy Speaker has important responsibilities for managing debates and maintaining parliamentary procedure in the House of Commons.
Laing’s experience in the Chair grew over the following years. In January 2020, she became Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Ways and Means. Parliament records her service in that role from 8 January 2020 until 30 May 2024.
Becoming the First Woman Chairman of Ways and Means
One of the most significant milestones in Eleanor Laing’s career came in 2020, when she became the first woman to serve as Chairman of Ways and Means.
The position is one of the senior procedural offices in the House of Commons. The Chairman of Ways and Means is the principal Deputy Speaker and has responsibilities connected with proceedings in the House, including chairing Committee of the Whole House.
Her appointment represented an important moment in the history of the Commons because the position had traditionally been held by men. Laing remained in the role until her departure from the House of Commons in 2024.
Decision to Leave the House of Commons
In May 2024, Laing announced that she would stand down at the general election. By that point, she had represented Epping Forest for 27 years and had spent more than a decade serving as a Deputy Speaker.
In her announcement, she described representing Epping Forest as a great honour and explained that she believed it was time to move aside and allow others to have opportunities in public life. She subsequently ended her Commons membership on 30 May 2024.
Her departure brought an end to one of the longest continuous constituency careers among MPs elected in 1997.
Entering the House of Lords
Laing’s parliamentary career did not end when she left the Commons. In August 2024, she became a life peer under the title Baroness Laing of Elderslie. The official House of Lords record states that she was created Baroness Laing of Elderslie, of Epping Forest in the County of Essex, on 22 August 2024. She was formally introduced to the Lords on 14 October 2024.
The title connects her parliamentary identity with both her Scottish upbringing and the constituency she represented for many years.
Her Current Parliamentary Role
As of 2026, Baroness Laing remains an active Conservative life peer in the House of Lords. Parliament records her Lords membership as beginning on 22 August 2024. Since March 2026, she has served as Deputy Chairman of Committees in the Lords and has also been a member of the Constitution Committee since January 2025.
Her current work therefore continues the procedural and constitutional aspects of her earlier career in the Commons.
Eleanor Laing’s Parliamentary Legacy
Eleanor Laing’s career encompasses several different stages of British parliamentary life. She began as a constituency MP, spent years undertaking political and opposition responsibilities, became a Deputy Speaker and ultimately reached the senior procedural office of Chairman of Ways and Means.
Her 27 years representing Epping Forest were followed by a transition to the House of Lords rather than retirement from parliamentary life. Her appointment as the first woman Chairman of Ways and Means remains one of the most notable milestones of her Commons career.
Her story also demonstrates how a politician’s parliamentary role can change significantly over time. From campaigning for election and representing constituents to presiding over Commons proceedings and later contributing to the Lords, Laing has occupied several different positions within the UK’s parliamentary system.
For readers of The Pure Magazine, Eleanor Laing’s career offers an interesting example of a long Westminster journey that crosses both Houses of Parliament. From her early life in Scotland and legal career to her 27 years as an MP and subsequent work as Baroness Laing of Elderslie, her public career has remained closely connected with British parliamentary affairs.
FAQs About Eleanor Laing
Who is Eleanor Laing?
Eleanor Laing is a British Conservative politician and life peer. She served as the MP for Epping Forest from 1997 to 2024 and later entered the House of Lords as Baroness Laing of Elderslie.
What is Eleanor Laing’s current title?
Her current title is Baroness Laing of Elderslie. She has been a member of the House of Lords since August 2024.
How long was Eleanor Laing an MP?
Laing served as the MP for Epping Forest for 27 years, from 1997 until 2024.
Was Eleanor Laing a Deputy Speaker?
Yes. She served as a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons from 2013 until 2024. From 2020, she also served as Chairman of Ways and Means.
What was significant about her role as Chairman of Ways and Means?
Laing became the first woman to hold the office of Chairman of Ways and Means, one of the senior procedural positions in the House of Commons.
Is Eleanor Laing still in politics?
Yes. She remains an active Conservative life peer in the House of Lords. Parliament currently lists her as Deputy Chairman of Committees and a member of the Constitution Committee.
Why is her title connected to Elderslie?
Elderslie is the Scottish village where Laing was born and brought up. She explained the significance of the name during a speech in the House of Lords in 2024.
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