The Westminster lensMP · Liberal Democrats · Sitting since 4 Jul 2024

Will Forster.

Liberal Democrats MP for Woking.

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Will Forster
PlaceWoking
Blueskywillforster.bsky.social
ProfileParliament.uk ↗
Commons votes
429/573
75% attendance · top 43% of MPs
Party alignment
99%
votes with party majority
Speeches
327
across 189 debates · 44,937 words
Written Qs
385
365 answered · 20 pending
Dispatch
14 Jul 2026

Aligned with their council.

Forster's most distinctive votes came on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in June 2025, where he broke with most Liberal Democrat colleagues twice — backing devolution protections and tighter legislative controls on advertising exemptions — and he has consistently voted against the Tobacco and Vapes Bill at both Second and Third Reading, again against his party's majority. Outside Westminster, his highest-profile local interventions have been on cost-of-living: he publicly called on Surrey County Council to reverse its decision to cut food vouchers, warning of the impact on vulnerable children. He has also spoken in his capacity as a Liberal Democrat immigration spokesperson, criticising the asylum system's administration.

At 75% voting participation, Forster is below the Commons average, though not unusually so for an opposition MP with spokesperson duties. He votes with his party on 99% of divisions overall, making his rebel votes on assisted dying and tobacco genuinely notable exceptions. His stance profile shows strong alignment with parliamentary scrutiny (96%), civil liberties (94%), Lords scrutiny (95%), and climate action (85%), but he is markedly out of step with pro-workers-rights and progressive-taxation positions, suggesting a distinctly liberal rather than left-leaning outlook. He deviates from his party average most sharply on financial regulation, where he votes more favourably than most Lib Dem colleagues.

Forster sits on the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, which maps directly onto his most active speech topics: local government features in 60 contributions, economy and jobs in 54, and social care in 47. His immigration speeches reflect his spokesperson role rather than purely local concerns. Woking's local news coverage over the past 90 days has been largely neutral in tone, with transport and local government dominating. Voting data extends to mid-2026; speech and news data are the most current signals available.

Background

Mr Will Forster is the Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024. He currently undertakes the role of Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Immigration and Asylum).

§ 01Voting record.429 divisions · most recent 1 Jul 2026

By issue — what do they vote on most?

Top eight by total divisions voted, this parliament. Volume measures engagement, not direction — see Notable Votes for free-vote moments and rebellions.

Taxation83
Economy68
Employment39
Crime & Policing35
Education32
Welfare and Benefits27
Constitution and Democracy27
Pensions24

Source · The Public Whip · Hansard

Notable votes — free votes & rebellions.

Moments where the whip was free, or where Forster broke ranks. Free votes are the truer signal of personal stance.

DateBill / motionVoteWhip
26 Mar 2025Tobacco and Vapes Bill: Third ReadingNo
vs party
13 Jun 2025Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: New Clause 2Yes
Freevs party
13 Jun 2025Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Amendment (b) to New Clause 14Yes
Freevs party
§ 02Speeches.327 contributions · 189 debates · 44,937 words

Words spoken, by topic.

Social Care18,836
Immigration15,174
Local Government15,050
Economy & Jobs11,172
Fiscal Policy8,750
Crime7,992
Health6,143
LD avg / MP All-MP avgper topic, words per MP

Source · Hansard

Recent contributions.

7 Jul 2026

Human Rights in Kashmir

Condemns communications blackouts and excessive use of force; calls for UK to abandon 50-year 'bilateral only' policy and invoke UN Security Council Resolution 47; argues for UK ro

669 words·Read
6 Jul 2026

National Security (State Threats) Bill

Strongly supports the Bill and the Lords amendments; emphasises the urgent need to designate the IRGC and highlights the 48% surge in MI5 state threat investigations.

798 words·Read
6 Jul 2026

Police Leadership Commission Report

The report's findings on inconsistent leadership and misconduct are appalling and demand root-and-branch reform, but the government must clarify how many more bobbies on the beat w

242 words·Read
6 Jul 2026

Rochdale Grooming Gang: Offender Deportation

Section 7 of the 1971 Act is a loophole that must be rectified urgently; government should set a deadline for bringing forward legal changes and update the House on progress with P

132 words·Read
Showing 4 of 327·All 327 speeches
§ 03Public voice — Bluesky.last 60 days · @willforster.bsky.social

Bluesky is the only social platform we ingest at the row level. The strip below is computed by classifying each post for substance (vs reposts, social mentions, scheduling) and then by tone (critical / measured / supportive) per target.

@willforster.bsky.socialLast 60 days · 49 posts
Measured warm, supportive
Liberal Democrats
49
Posts
44
Substantive
7
Local Government
Most criticises
Government 9
South Western Railway 2
Surrey County Council 2
Most supports
Liberal Democrats 4
Government 2
Paul Follows 2

Recent substantive posts.

WhenTopicToneExcerpt
13 JulCulture CommunitycelebratoryGreat to help open the Pyrford and Wisley Village Show and tour around the amazing stalls with the Mayor of #Woking at the weekend. It was lovely to see our loc…
12 JulHealthmeasuredByfleet in #Woking doesn’t have a doctor’s surgery - meaning local people have to travel on the congested A245 to access basic health facilities. I’ve asked t…
10 JulLocal GovernmentmeasuredThis time last week, I was pleased to hold my regular advice surgery in the Eastwood Leisure Centre in Sheerwater. Good to listen to concerns of #Woking people …
Showing 3 of 44·All 44 substantive posts
§ 04Committees & roles.1 current appointment

Current memberships.

Select, joint and other committees Forster currently sits on. Committee work is where much of the line-by-line scrutiny of bills and departments happens, away from the chamber.

CommitteeRoleType
Housing, Communities and Local Government CommitteeMemberSelect

Source · UK Parliament Committees API

What this means.

Committee member

Committee seats are where backbenchers shape legislation and hold departments to account. Forster sits on one.

§ 05Written questions.385 tabled · 365 answered · 18 Nov 2024 → 13 Jul 2026

Top departments asked.

DepartmentQsShare
Department of Health and Social Care6115.8%
Home Office5614.5%
Department for Transport4712.2%
Department for Education4110.6%
Department for Work and Pensions369.4%
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government359.1%
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office215.5%
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs215.5%

Most recent.

13 Jul 2026·Department of Health and Social Care·Pending

What oversight is NHS England exercising over ICBs whose conversion rates fall significantly below the national average.

Awaiting answer.

13 Jul 2026·Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs·Pending

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the forthcoming amendment to the pEPR statutory instrument on businesses.

Awaiting answer.

13 Jul 2026·Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government·Pending

Communities and Local Government, whether his Department is able to intervene in a shadow authority.

Awaiting answer.

13 Jul 2026·Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs·Pending

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of EPR on the ability of businesses to meet recycling targets or to exceed them.

Awaiting answer.

Showing 4 of 385·All 385 written questions
§ 06Register & expenses.3 declared interests · £153k claimed FY 24_25

Register of interests.

National Liberal Club
1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026
Silverstone Circuits Limited
5 July 2025
National Liberal Club
14 August 2024 to 31 December 2025

Source · Members API · Last amended 3 Jun 2026

IPSA expenses.

Category£Share
Staffing118,54977.3%
Office Costs26,13617.1%
Staff Travel5,6983.7%
MP Travel2,5321.7%
Accommodation3680.2%
Total · 115 claims153,282100%
Showing 5 of 115·All 115 IPSA claims

Source · IPSA · FY 24_25

§ 07This week in Westminster.Order paper · refreshed daily
DateItemTypeDepartment
Wed 15 JulIf he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 15 July.TabledPrime Minister
§ 08Electoral history.3 contests · 2017, 2024
YearConstituencyVotesShareResult
2024Woking24,01949.9%Won
2019Woking16,62930.8%Lost
2017Woking9,71117.6%Lost

2024 — full result, Woking.

CandidateVotes%
Will ForsterWONLD24,01949.9

Showing the MP’s own row only. Full result table: see Woking

Sources, methods & last update
Method The dispatch paragraphs are AI-generated from the public sources listed below. Every figure links to its source. If we’re wrong, please tell us — corrections within 48 hours.
DivisionsHansard
The Public Whip
Updated 15 Jul 2026
SpeechesHansard · 44,937 words
3 Sept 2024 → 13 Jul 2026
Written QsMembers API
385 tabled · 365 answered
CommitteesCommittees API
1 current
RegisterMembers API
3 entries
ExpensesIPSA
£153,282 · FY 24_25
Order paperUK Parliament
Refreshed daily
ElectionsElectoral Commission
DCLEAPIL