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Tom Gordon (British politician)

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Tom Gordon
MP
Member of Parliament
for Harrogate and Knaresborough
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byAndrew Jones
Majority8,238 (15.9%)
Personal details
Born
Thomas Anthony Gordon

Knottingley, West Yorkshire, England
Political partyLiberal Democrats
Alma materNewcastle University
Websitewww.tomgordon.org.uk

Thomas Anthony Gordon is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has served as the Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough since 2024.[1]

Early life and career

Thomas Anthony Gordon[2] was born and raised in Knottingley.[3] He received a Bachelor of Science degree 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.[4] His mother, Adele Hayes, is a councillor for Knottingley on Wakefield Council.

Before entering Parliament, Gordon worked in the scientific recruitment and health services research sector,[4] as well as policy roles in the charitable sector, including for the Carers Trust, and as a researcher for a member of the European Parliament.

Political career

While at university, he was elected as a councillor for Manor Park on Newcastle City Council in 2018, serving for one year. Afterwards, he returned to Knottingley after taking a job at the University of York and stood for election in Knottingley on Wakefield Council, achieving a 54.2-per-cent swing from Labour and becoming the first Liberal Democrat elected to Wakefield Council since 2011.[5] Subsequently, he became one of Yorkshire's youngest council group leaders.

He was chosen as the Liberal Democrats' candidate for the 2021 Batley and Spen by-election, after the initial candidate Jo Conchie withdrew due to health reasons.[6] He had previously stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford at the 2019 United Kingdom general election.[7] Gordon was chosen as the party's candidate for the parliamentary constituency of Harrogate and Knaresborough,[8][9] which he won with 23,976 votes (46.1 per cent) at the 2024 general election.[10]

Personal life

Gordon is gay.[11] He is also a keen runner and badminton player. He regularly participates in Parkrun[3][12] 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.[13]

References

  1. ^ "Harrogate and Knaresborough - General election results 2024". BBC News. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Election results for Batley and Spen, 1 July 2021". Kirklees Council. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b "5 questions to the Liberal Democrat election candidate for Harrogate & Knaresborough". Hearrogate Informer. 30 June 2024. Archived from the original on 6 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b Laver, Adam (6 July 2024). "'My mum's cancer struggle got me into politics'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Disappointing night for Labour in Wakefield at local elections". 3 May 2019. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ "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.
  8. ^ "Wakefield Council Lib Dem leader Tom Gordon selected as Westminster candidate". Archived from the original on 8 February 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "Harrogate and Knaresborough - General election results 2024". BBC News. Archived from the original on 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  11. ^ @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.
  12. ^ @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.
  13. ^ "Our new MPs David Chadwick, Manuela Perteghella, Tom Gordon". Retrieved 10 July 2024.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Harrogate and Knaresborough
2024–present 		Incumbent
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