Andrew Feinstein
South African politician / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Andrew Josef Feinstein[lower-alpha 1] (born 16 March 1964) is a South African former politician, activist, filmmaker, campaigner and author, now based in London, who specialises in the investigation of the arms trade and the corruption that accompanies it. He is Executive Director of a small non-profit, Shadow World Investigations,[3][lower-alpha 2] and serves on the board of Declassified UK. The son of a Holocaust survivor, Feinstein was the first MP to introduce a motion on the Holocaust in the South African parliament.
Andrew Feinstein | |
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Member of the South African National Assembly | |
In office 1994–2001 | |
Personal details | |
Born | (1964-03-16) 16 March 1964 (age 60) Cape Town, Cape Province, South Africa |
Political party |
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Other political affiliations | Collective Transform[1] |
Spouse |
Simone Sultana (m. 1993) |
Children | 1 son, 1 daughter |
Residence(s) | Camden, London, UK[2] |
Education | Wynberg Boys' High School |
Alma mater | |
Occupation | investigative author, campaigner |
Feinstein was elected in South Africa's first democratic elections following the abolition of Apartheid, serving as a member of parliament from 1994 to 2001 as a member of the ruling ANC party. In 2001, in protest against the ANC's refusal to investigate allegations of huge bribes and large-scale corruption against senior ANC politicians arising from a £5 billion arms deal, he resigned his parliamentary seat and moved to London, where he works as an investigative author and campaigner. On first arriving in London he worked in investment banking for more than five years.[6]
A former member of the UK Labour Party, Feinstein is highly critical of Keir Starmer, and the direction Labour has taken under Starmer's leadership. Feinstein has lived in Starmer's constituency of Holborn and St. Pancras since 2001, has criticised Starmer for being "terrible on Gaza", and stood against Starmer in the 2024 general election, winning second place with 7,312 votes (18.9%). He commented that "Kier Starmer is the first British Prime Minister in electoral history to enter 10 Downing Street having seen his majority reduced".[7]