Alex Ballinger
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alex Ballinger | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for Halesowen | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Majority | 4,364 (11.3%) |
| Personal details | |
| Party | Labour |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch/service |  Royal Marines |
| Years of service | 2005 – 2013 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Royal Marines |
Alexander Robert Ballinger[1] is a British Labour politician and former Royal Marine who has been the Member of Parliament for Halesowen since 2024. He gained the seat from James Morris, a Conservative.[2]
Ballinger studied aerospace engineering at the University of Manchester before joining the Royal Marines in 2005, later reaching the rank of Captain.[2][3] He served on operations in Afghanistan, including deployments in 2006 and 2009, and has referred to a family tradition of military service and his deployment alongside his brother.[4]
After leaving the armed forces, Ballinger joined the Department for International Development (DFID) and led humanitarian and refugee operations during the Syrian civil war,[5][6][7] before moving to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), working on Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas and later heading the UK’s mission in Lahore.[8][9][10] During the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation, he led a team assisting evacuations across the border into Pakistan.[11]
From 2023 to 2024, Ballinger ran a small mental health charity based in Birmingham and the Black Country.[6]
Parliamentary career
Ballinger was elected on 4 July 2024 with 38.9% of the vote.[12]
He was subsequently appointed a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee[13] and has used both committee and chamber proceedings to press ministers on Gaza and humanitarian access to it.[14][15] In September 2025, it was reported that Ballinger told a Labour conference fringe meeting he believed Israel’s actions in Gaza “meet the conditions” for genocide.[16]
Ballinger has been active on defence and service life issues.[17] He serves as Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Armed Forces and was appointed to the Select Committee on the Armed Forces Bill.[18]
Ballinger is Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Gambling Reform,[19] and was a leading voice calling for increasing taxation on online gambling companies, in order to fund the lifting of the two child benefit cap.[20]
Constituency-linked issues
Ballinger has raised constituency-linked issues in Parliament, including leading a Commons debate on knife crime in the West Midlands. He has also campaigned for greater road safety in his constituency.[21][22][23]
In January 2026, he secured a Westminster Hall debate on the UK Town of Culture initiative; with multiple MPs referencing his “passionate pitch” for his area.[24]
References
- ↑ "Former Royal Marine standing to become Halesowen MP". Halesowen News. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- 1 2 MP, Alex Ballinger. "Alex Ballinger MP". Alex Ballinger MP. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ Smith, Adam (13 February 2024). "Labour picks former Royal Marine to fight General Election in Halesowen". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "Building Safety and Resilience - Hansard - UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ MP, Alex Ballinger. "Alex Ballinger MP". Alex Ballinger MP. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- 1 2 "I'm a former marine-turned-Labour MP – Rachel Reeves is missing the point on defence". The Independent. 26 March 2025. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office - Hansard - UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "FCDO and ICIMOD collaborate with the Pakistan Ministry of Climate Change to generate data on brick industry emissions - ICIMOD". ICIMOD - International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. 10 March 2022. Archived from the original on 9 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "The UK announces 75 scholarships for Pakistan". GOV.UK. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "FCDO Team Visits LUMS | Welcome to LUMS". lums.edu.pk. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ MP, Alex Ballinger. "Alex Ballinger MP". Alex Ballinger MP. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "UK Parliament - Election Results". committees.parliament.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "Foreign Affairs Committee - Membership - Committees - UK Parliament". committees.parliament.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "British MPs challenge 'outrageous' claims as legal adviser defends Israel and rejects Palestinian statehood". Middle East Monitor. 25 April 2025. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "They Work for You - House of Commons Debate - Ref - HC Deb, 21 July 2025, c604". 21 July 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ Harpin, Lee. "Labour MP accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza at foreign policy conference event". Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "Armed Forces Commissioner Bill - Hansard - UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "House of Commons - Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 1 December 2025: Armed Forces". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "Members". Gambling Reform APPG. 24 January 2025. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ Hills, Joel (25 September 2025). "ITV News - More than 100 Labour MPs urge Chancellor to hike gambling taxes and scrap two child benefit limit".
- ↑ "Campaign for more safety measures on killer road after death of beloved mum". Halesowen News. 8 October 2025. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ Lawrie, Imogen (12 January 2026). "Political opinion: Alex Ballinger MP welcomes first Road Safety Strategy in over a decade". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "MPs back calls for safety measures on death crash road". Stourbridge News. 20 December 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ↑ "UK Town of Culture - Hansard - UK Parliament". hansard.parliament.uk. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
External links
- Official website
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Voting record at Public Whip
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
