Feryal Clark is the Labour MP for Enfield North and a former minister for AI and Digital Government. First elected to Parliament in 2019, she previously worked in NHS pathology and served in local government in Hackney. Her subsequent parliamentary career has included health, crime reduction and technology policy.
Since January 2026, she has also served as the UK Trade Envoy to Germany. Alongside her public responsibilities, Clark lives in Enfield North with her husband, Andrew Clark, and their two children.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Feryal Clark |
| Political party | Labour |
| Parliamentary constituency | Enfield North |
| First elected MP | December 2019 |
| Education | Biomedical Science at Kingston University; master’s in Bioinformatics at the University of Exeter |
| Previous profession | Six years in NHS pathology services |
| Local government | Former Hackney councillor and Deputy Mayor |
| Former ministerial role | AI and Digital Government minister, July 2024–September 2025 |
| Trade role | UK Trade Envoy to Germany, appointed January 2026 |
| Husband | Andrew Clark |
| Children | Two |
| Recognition | Honorary doctorate from Kingston University, January 2026 |
Who Is Feryal Clark?
Feryal Clark trained in science before entering politics. She studied Biomedical Science at Kingston University, followed by a master’s in Bioinformatics at the University of Exeter. Her professional background includes six years working in NHS pathology services.
In her maiden House of Commons speech on 16 January 2020, she described arriving in Britain with her family as a child refugee approximately 30 years earlier. Kingston University’s later account states that she was eight when she arrived.
Her route into public service began through local government, before she became an MP and subsequently took on opposition and ministerial responsibilities.
From Hackney Council to Enfield North MP
Clark was elected to Hackney Council in 2006. Her own biography records 14 years as a councillor, during which she held cabinet responsibilities and a senior leadership position.
Contemporary council announcements identify her as Deputy Mayor, although her personal biography uses the title Deputy Leader. The council’s records also document responsibilities involving health, social care and local services, including parks.
Her environmental work, described in her own biography, included initiatives concerning air quality, play streets and school streets.
On 12 December 2019, she was first elected MP for Enfield North. She was elected again on 4 July 2024, representing the constituency following changes to its boundaries.
Feryal Clark’s Parliamentary and Ministerial Career
Clark became an Opposition Whip on 14 May 2021 and held that position until 4 December that year. She then served as Shadow Minister for Health and Social Care until 28 November 2023.
Her next position was Shadow Minister for Crime Reduction. Parliament’s detailed career record dates that appointment from 28 November 2023 to 30 May 2024. A government biographical summary gives a broader end date of July 2024.
Following Labour’s election victory, she became Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 9 July 2024, with responsibility for AI and Digital Government.
The portfolio covered artificial intelligence policy, regulation and ethics, alongside cybersecurity, digital public services, digital identity and intellectual property matters.
Her ministerial tenure ended on 7 September 2025. References to her as AI and Digital Government minister in interviews from that period describe the position she held then; she is now a former minister.
Her Approach to Science, AI and Digital Government
Clark has connected her approach to public policy with her earlier work in pathology. Speaking at Kingston University in January 2026, she explained that the experience helped shape her interest in evidence-led decisions and the practical results that science and innovation could produce.
During a January 2025 interview with Computer Weekly, she emphasised public trust in digital government. Her comments focused on transparency about personal information, including whether people understood when their data was being stored or shared.
She also argued for a wider geographical spread of the economic benefits associated with AI investment. In an April 2025 PoliticsHome interview, she said she wanted planned AI growth zones to benefit former industrial areas through jobs and regeneration. These were the outcomes she advocated while in office, rather than an assessment of what the programme had already achieved.
Feryal Clark’s Husband and Family
Clark’s husband is Andrew Clark, who is identified as her spouse in parliamentary financial disclosures. Her official biography states that they live in Enfield North with their two children.
The House of Commons Register of Members’ Financial Interests recorded Andrew Clark as a director of Kanda Consultancy in April 2024. That entry describes his position at the time of the disclosure, rather than establishing his occupation in 2026.
Current Public Roles and Advocacy
The Department for Business and Trade appointed Clark as the UK Trade Envoy to Germany on 20 January 2026. The voluntary, unpaid position supports trade and investment links between the two countries.
Her technology-related work also includes leadership of two All-Party Parliamentary Groups. The register dated 1 September 2026 lists her as Chair and Registered Contact of the Digital Creators APPG. Parliament also records her as Chair and Registered Contact of the Cyber Security and Business Resilience APPG. These are informal cross-party groups, not parliamentary select committees.
The Digital Creators group addresses issues affecting the UK creator economy and barriers facing those working within it. In a March 2026 PoliticsHome interview, Clark said her interest had developed partly through ministerial discussions about technology and copyright, where she felt creators were insufficiently represented.
She has also argued that policies governing young people’s online activity should distinguish harmful material from useful educational resources. Speaking to ITV News on 18 September 2026, she called for educational content to remain accessible as policymakers considered restrictions on social-media use for under-16s.
For readers looking for her public social-media account, Parliament’s official contact page lists her X, formerly Twitter, handle as @FeryalClark.
Education, Skills and Recent Recognition
Education has been a recurring subject in Clark’s own account of her development. In remarks published by Kingston University in January 2026, she described its importance in helping her navigate unfamiliar systems as a first-generation immigrant and gain professional opportunities and confidence.
She also encouraged graduates to remain receptive to changes in career direction, explaining that a change of path need not represent failure.
Kingston University announced on 22 January 2026 that it had awarded her an honorary doctorate. The recognition covered her contribution to health science, digital and AI innovation, and the university’s Future Skills work. It is an honorary award, distinct from an earned research doctorate.
Her involvement with Future Skills has included advocacy and guest speaking about the capabilities people need as AI becomes more widely used.
Conclusion
Clark’s career connects scientific training and NHS work with local government, national politics and technology policy. Her ministerial period is one part of that record, alongside her parliamentary service and subsequent work on trade, cybersecurity and digital education.
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