Tom Gordon | |
|---|---|
|
Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Andrew Jones |
| Majority | 8,238 (15.9%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thomas Anthony Gordon 26 February 1994 Knottingley, West Yorkshire, England |
| Political party | Liberal Democrats |
| Alma mater | Newcastle University |
| Website |
www |
Thomas Anthony Gordon is the Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough in the UK House of Commons, elected at the 2024 general election. [1]
Early life and career
Gordon was born and raised in Knottingley. [2] He received a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry at Newcastle University. He went on to study for a Master's degree in Public Health (MPH) also at Newcastle, which he completed part time due to his mother's battle with breast cancer, which he says inspired his entry into politics. [3] His mother, Adele Hayes, is a Councillor for Knottingley on Wakefield Council.
Before entering Parliament he worked in the scientific recruitment and health services research sector [3] as well as policy roles in the charitable sector, including for the Carers Trust, and as a researcher for an MEP.
Political career
While at University he was elected as a Councillor for Manor Park on Newcastle City Council in 2018. While still a Councillor in Newcastle he returned to Knottingley after taking a job at the University of York and stood for election in Knottingley on Wakefield Council, where he became one of the youngest Council Group Leaders in Yorkshire.
He was chosen as the Liberal Democrats' candidate for the 2021 Batley and Spen by-election on the 3rd June, 2021 after initial candidate Jo Conchie withdrew due to health reasons. [4] He had previously stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford at the 2019 United Kingdom general election. [5] Still standing on the platform of the Liberal Democrats, Gordon was chosen as the party's candidate for the parliamentary constituency of Harrogate and Knaresborough, [6] [7] and which he won with 23,976 (46.1%) votes. [8]
Personal life
Gordon is gay. [9] He is also a keen runner and badminton player. He regularly participates in Parkrun [2] [10] and has completed over a dozen long distance charity runs, including the Paris and Berlin marathons, raising money for a range of charities including Cancer Research and Alzheimer’s Society. [11]
References
- ^ "Harrogate and Knaresborough - General election results 2024". BBC News. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ a b "5 questions to the Liberal Democrat election candidate for Harrogate & Knaresborough". Archived from the original on 6 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ a b "'My mum's cancer struggle got me into politics'". Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Batley and Spen by-election: Lib Dems choose new candidate". 3 June 2021. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "Wakefield councillor becomes new Lib Dem candidate for Batley and Spen by-election". www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
- ^ "Wakefield Council Lib Dem leader Tom Gordon selected as Westminster candidate". Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "NEWS STORY : Tom Gordon Selected as Liberal Democrat Candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough – UKPOL.CO.UK". 6 February 2023. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "Harrogate and Knaresborough - General election results 2024". BBC News. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ @tomgordonLD (17 March 2020). "Time for another overshare: So stress triggers my IBS. Yes, I a gay man have IBS - it is just great. The lack of toilet roll is stressing me out... See where I'm going with this? Please do not panic buy" ( Tweet). Archived from the original on 9 July 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ @tomgordonLD (6 July 2024). "Park run this morning 🏃♂️Genuinely overwhelmed with how lovely everyone was saying congrats & shaking my hand 👏 Happy to prove a few people wrong, who said they expected me to never show up again now that I was elected 🤣Time to show we can do politics differently 🔶" ( Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "Our new MPs David Chadwick, Manuela Perteghella, Tom Gordon". Retrieved 10 July 2024.
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- Living people
- 1994 births
- Alumni of Newcastle University
- English LGBT politicians
- LGBT members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
- LGBT people from Yorkshire
- Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors
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- People from Knottingley
- UK MPs 2024–present
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