Andy Slaughter Appointed as Solicitor General

Andy Burnham's choice might provide clue to stance on Heathrow

Andy Slaughter's opposition to airport expansion might have held back his political career

July 22, 2026

Andy Slaughter, the MP for Hammersmith and Chiswick, has been appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales in Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s first major reshuffle. He succeeds Ellie Reeves, who has been promoted to Attorney General, and steps into one of the oldest legal offices of the Crown, a role dating back to at least 1461.

Before entering Parliament, Mr Slaughter qualified as a barrister in 1993 and practised for more than a decade, and his legal background is expected to be central to his new responsibilities. The Solicitor General supports the Government’s chief legal adviser, oversees aspects of the prosecution system and helps uphold the rule of law. Although the Attorney General attends Cabinet, neither role is a full Cabinet position, and Law Officers do not necessarily carry collective Cabinet responsibility.

During his two decades in Parliament, Mr Slaughter has held a range of shadow frontbench and parliamentary roles, including a significant period on the Justice Select Committee, where he scrutinised the work of the Ministry of Justice and contributed to inquiries on courts, prisons, legal aid and constitutional matters. His committee work strengthened his reputation as one of Parliament’s more experienced legal voices, and it provides a natural foundation for his new responsibilities.

Among the many issues he has engaged with over the years is his long-standing opposition to Heathrow expansion, a position he has maintained consistently alongside many west London MPs and councils. He has argued that a third runway would worsen noise, air pollution and congestion for communities across his constituency. His new role, however, is constitutionally separate from political campaigning. Law Officers are required to provide impartial legal advice to the Government but do not determine policy.

In January 2009, Andy Slaughter resigned from his role as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Transport Secretary, Lord Adonis, in order to oppose the Labour Government’s support for a third runway at Heathrow. Observers of Labour Party internal politics have suggested that, as someone who was the leader of a London borough, he was well qualified for a ministerial role but his stance on Heathrow might have resulted in him being passed over.

His appointment inevitably prompts speculation about what it might signal for Heathrow policy under Andy Burnham. The Prime Minister has not yet set out a detailed position on airport expansion but has questioned the wisdom of a larger airport in London, and it would be premature to draw firm conclusions from a single appointment. But bringing a minister with a long record of opposition to Heathrow expansion into the Government’s senior legal team suggests that Burnham is not seeking to surround himself with pro-expansion voices. Although the Solicitor General is not a member of the Cabinet, they are regarded as part of the government and would be expected to support government policy. It has been pointed out that the Prime Minister would not have made the appointment if he was about to make an announcement that his government was pressing ahead with Heathrow expansion.

It also places someone familiar with the legal complexities surrounding Heathrow close to the centre of Government, which may prove relevant if future decisions face judicial review or require careful navigation of environmental and planning law.