Laura Sandys

Laura Sandys is chair of the European Movement UK. She was Conservative MP for South Thanet 2010-15. She is a member and former Chairman of openDemocracy's board, and is a long-time campaigner, volunteer and political consultant, with experience of political structures across Europe, Turkey, South America and the US. Her full biography can be found on her website.

It's impossible to predict the defining narratives of the Brexit campaign

Who will be seen as being on the public's side, the Ins or the Outs?

By Laura Sandys

/ 27 Oct 2015

Lords: elect the second chamber, strengthen parliament

Britain's current 'House of Lords' is an extension of the Commons by patronage, extending the influence of old party political figures while freeing them from the need to be elected or accountable to voters. It has to be replaced by a democratic chamber

By Laura Sandys

/ 5 Mar 2012

Lords reform will strengthen Parliament as a whole: an MP's call to the Commons

A Conservative MP urges her fellow parliamentarians not to resist reform to the upper House for fear that it will diminish the powers of the Commons, but to see it as a step towards strengthening Parliament as a whole and wresting power from the Executive

By Laura Sandys

/ 4 Jul 2011

AV is the worst of all worlds - the views of a Tory MP

Laura Sandys is now the new Conservative MP for South Thanet Sandwich and the Villages. She was one of many who were not called to speak on the AV debate on Monday this week. But we asked to see her draft speech and here it is.

By Laura Sandys

/ 9 Sep 2010

The People at the Heart of our Politics

There is no question that the last few weeks have been the worst for British politics in my life time. And with very just cause. The public are revolted, disgusted

By Laura Sandys

/ 4 Jun 2009

Wanted: more honesty, less denial

Walking down Londons Victoria Street on a day of bomb scares after the 7 July attacks, I was interviewed for a vox pop by BBC London news. My instinct

By Laura Sandys

/ 7 Aug 2005

Where is Iraq going?

The western political elites are shocked at the insurgency of a section of the Shia Muslims in Iraq. They are asking: what does the violence mean, and how can

By Laura Sandys

/ 7 Apr 2004

A game of shadow boxing: Iraq between past and future

The military outcome of any war between the US and Iraq is not in doubt. But if war cannot be prevented a question acutely in the balance in this week

By Laura Sandys

/ 13 Feb 2003

Democratise Europe  or ring for the employment lawyer?

The European Union (EU) has embarked upon a decisive phase of reappraisal and significant reform. Under the chairmanship of Giscard DEstaing, a Constitutional Convention is under way. Its aims

By Laura Sandys

/ 13 Aug 2002

Another way of doing world business?

Europe was, and remains, an economic association. If a new Europe is to arise, it will have to do so commercially, as well as politically and culturally. Recently, I was

By Laura Sandys

/ 29 Aug 2001

Circling the wagons around the constitution

After ten years as a lobbyist in London and Brussels, I went to Washington DC for seven months. I was interested in comparing our systems and learning the ways of

By Laura Sandys

/ 24 May 2001