Alex Norris has become the first non-lawyer to be granted the post of Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice in a Labour government.
The MP for Nottingham North and Kimberley, who on Monday replaced David Lammy in Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government, is a former trade union official.
For the past year, he was previously Minister of State at the Home Office; and had served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government from Labour’s election win in 2024.
Chris Grayling was the first non-lawyer Secretary of State for Justice, under the Conservatives, serving from 2012 to 2015.
Norris’s predecessor, Lammy, had a traditional professional background for a justice secretary, having studied law at SOAS and Harvard and practiced as a barrister in both the US and UK.
What’s Norris’s background?
Norris, 42, is originally from Altrincham in Greater Manchester. He won a free place to study at the fee-paying independent Manchester Grammar School at age 11. He moved to Nottingham in 2003 to study politics at the University of Nottingham.
Prior to entering national politics, Norris was a councillor for Basford ward in Nottingham City Council for six years.
He was elected as the MP for Nottingham North and Kimberley (and its predecessor Nottingham North) in June 2017.
Before gaining his seat in Parliament, Norris worked at UNISON trade union as an area organiser.
What are his views?
Norris describes himself as a “Labour and Co-operative MP”. This is a term Burnham has also used about himself, and is taken to mean that he identifies as a socialist and is ‘soft left’ Labour.
Writing in a newsletter to his constituents in early July, Norris said: “Like me, Andy is also a Labour and Co-operative MP. I believe in co-operative values and that our country works best when power is shared and those who create wealth get their fair share in return.
“Whether that be co-operative shops owned by customers and giving back to the community, credit unions that allow communities to support one another financially or football supporters getting a say in how their club is run, co-operative values are a proud tradition in our country.
“Andy shares these values and has made solid commitments that he will do all he can to get power out of London and Westminster and into the hands of local people up and down the country so we can make the best decisions for our community.”
How has he voted?
Norris’s voting record shows he supported the assisted dying bill, voting to allow terminally ill people to be given assistance to end their life.
He has also voted for preventing sentencing guidelines requiring offender background reports based on race, religion, culture, or similar traits.
In general, he has voted for some kinds of offenders to receive the minimum detention requirements in order to reduce pressure on prison capacity.
Norris has consistently voted for scrapping the scheme that let people avoid prosecution for Troubles-related crimes in exchange for cooperating, and removing the ban on bringing Troubles-related claims in the civil courts.
He has also voted in favour of reducing the maximum amount an individual may be required to contribute to their social care costs.
