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British politician
John Whitby is a British
Labour Party politician and former musician who has been the
Member of Parliament for
Derbyshire Dales since
2024 . He was also the lead singer for
The Beyond .
He attended
Woodlands Secondary Modern .
[1] At 21 he was living in
Allestree , and was working on an
Enterprise Allowance Scheme in Derby.
[2]
Whitby was the lead singer in the Derby
progressive rock band
The Beyond .
[3]
[4] The band was described as a fusion of
funk and
metal .
[5] He was recruited by the band's founders, guitarist Andy Gatford and drummer Neil Cooper, with whom he had been school friends.
[5] After that band ended he, along with many of his band mates, formed the band Gorilla.
[6]
[7] In 2018, while Whitby was a mayor, the band played a reunion gig, raising thousands for charity.
[8]
After music Whitby joined the
civil service .
[9] He became a councillor on
Derby City Council in the early 2010s. In May 2017 he was made
Mayor of Derby , a position which is held for a year, during which he raised £64,000 for charity. Despite it being noted that he was popular, even with opposition parties, he lost his seat just before the end of his term.
[10] He regained a seat on Derby council in the
2022 elections .
[11]
In the
2024 United Kingdom general election , he stood for the
Derbyshire Dales constituency. He gained the seat from
Sarah Dines , a member of the
Conservative Party , with a majority of 350.
[12]
[13]
[14]
He is a
foster carer .
[9]
^ Hawley, Zena (24 February 2018).
"Derby mayor reveals painting he hopes will raise money for charity" . Derbyshire Live . Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^ Sassi, Michael (27 April 1990).
"Rock Success made in Derby" . Evening Telegraph . p. 15. Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^ Curtain, Peter (11 September 1990).
"Heavy Metal Maestro Turns to Opera" . Evening Telegraph . p. 44. Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^
"Mayor to join former band The Beyond to raise money for charity" . Derbyshire Live . 23 January 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^
a
b
"The Beyond Back on Home Front" . Evening Telegraph . 17 August 1993. p. 22. Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^ Day, Eleanor (29 October 1997).
"Gorilla play live at Virgin" . Evening Telegraph . p. 15. Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^
"Sheldon's Sounds" . The Derby Express . 19 October 1995. p. 27. Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^ Harper, Christopher (17 February 2018).
"Watch the Mayor of Derby as he rocks out with his former band" . Derbyshire Live . Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^
a
b Cooper, Jon (28 June 2024).
"Derbyshire Dales General Election candidates have their say on the campaign trail" . Derbyshire Times . Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^ Hawley, Zena (23 May 2018).
"Was John Whitby the coolest Mayor of Derby ever?" . Derbyshire Live . Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^ Hawley, Zena (6 May 2022).
"Labour make gains as Tories lose seats in Derby council elections" . Derbyshire Live . Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^
"Derbyshire Dales | General Election 2024" .
Sky News . Retrieved 5 July 2024 .
^ Bisoni, Irene; Corbett, Louis Dargavel; Hawley, Zena; Allen, George; Slater, Nigel; Hennessy, Peter; Fisher, Oscar (5 July 2024).
"Derby and Derbyshire election results as Labour dominate" . Derbyshire Live . Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
^ Hardwick, Tom (5 July 2024).
"Sarah Dines "disappointed" as Derbyshire Dales swings to Labour – with every seat in the county turning red amid Tory electoral wipeout" . Derbyshire Times . Retrieved 6 July 2024 .
Labour Party members of Parliament
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