Ian Levy Explained

Ian Levy
Office:Member of Parliament
for Blyth Valley
Term Start:12 December 2019
Term End:30 May 2024
Predecessor:Ronnie Campbell
Successor:Constituency abolished
Birth Date:1966 2, df=yes
Party:Conservative

Ian Levy (born 14 February 1966)[1] is a British Conservative Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Blyth Valley from the 2019 general election until the seat's abolition in 2024. He is the first Conservative to represent Blyth Valley since the constituency was created in 1950. Ian Levy has served as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) in the Ministry of Defence since 2022. Before this Levy was a PPS in the Cabinet Office.

Early life and career

Levy is of Jewish descent.[2] He left school at the age of 16 to become a grave digger.[3] Prior to his election, Levy had worked as a healthcare assistant on an inpatient mental health rehabilitation ward in St Nicholas Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne for over 28 years.[4]

Parliamentary career

He first contested the Blyth Valley constituency at the 2017 general election, in which incumbent Labour MP Ronnie Campbell held his seat with a majority of 7,915. Levy was subsequently elected for the constituency at the 2019 general election with a majority of 712 votes over Labour candidate Susan Dungworth.[5] He was the first Conservative to represent the constituency since its creation in 1950.[6] It had previously been a safe Labour seat.[7] He had campaigned on returning passenger railway services to the area and for a relief road in Blyth, which is supported by Transport for the North and other major highways improvements.[8] [9] Blyth's railway station had closed in 1964 as part of the Beeching cuts.[10] After his election, he was accused of misleading the public, when the Nursing Times reported his social media posts from the campaign, in which he said he had worked as a mental health nurse. The posts were later amended. Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust confirmed he had worked as a healthcare assistant. The term "nurse" is not legally protected so his posts had not violated the Nurses Registration Act 1919.[11]

Levy won the Newcomer of the Year award at The Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year Awards.[12]

In October 2020, Levy voted against a Labour motion to extend free school meals for eligible children until Easter 2021. He was criticised for this on social media. Levy also alleged that this included threats.[13] [14] In February 2023, a man was given a restraining order for harassing Levy between May and August 2022.[15]

Levy was appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) in the Cabinet Office in April 2022.[16] He supported Boris Johnson's bid to return as PM in the October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.[17] Later in the year, Levy became a PPS in the Ministry of Defence.[18]

Blyth Valley was abolished as part of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies. Levy was selected as the Conservative candidate for the new seat of Cramlington and Killingworth in April 2023.[19]

Personal life

Levy is married and has two children.[20] In January 2024, his wife Maureen Levy was selected as the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Blyth and Ashington in the 2024 general election.[21]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Brunskill, Ian. The Times guide to the House of Commons 2019 : the definitive record of Britain's historic 2019 General Election. 19 March 2020. 978-0-00-839258-1. 111. HarperCollins Publishers Limited . 1129682574.
  2. News: Moore. Charles. 13 December 2019. The logic of democracy in this country is iron, as is our rejection of extremism. The Daily Telegraph.
  3. News: MP Column: Why I got into politics. News Post Leader. 15 October 2020.
  4. Web site: Newly-elected MP falsely claims he is a 'mental health nurse. Nursing Notes. Ian. Snug. Esther. Beadle. 13 December 2019. 27 January 2021.
  5. Web site: Marsh . Michael . 2019-12-12 . Tories gain Blyth Valley from Labour in shock election result . 2024-05-04 . Chronicle Live . en.
  6. Web site: Blyth Valley. 8 January 2020. BBC News.
  7. News: The 24 Labour heartland seats lost to the Tories for the first time in decades. The Telegraph. 14 December 2019.
  8. News: Who is Ian Levy? New Conservative MP for Blyth Valley. Evening Chronicle. 12 December 2019.
  9. Web site: 25 February 2020 . Class of 2019: Meet the new MPs . 12 July 2022 . Politics Home . en.
  10. Web site: Blyth Valley: A constituency that changed its mind. 15 December 2019.
  11. News: Shock win Tory candidate 'deceived' voters by claiming to be a nurse. Nursing Times. 13 December 2019.
  12. News: The Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year Awards: The Winners. The Spectator. 22 January 2020.
  13. Web site: Meechan. Simon. 25 October 2020. Ian Levy slammed for defence of vote to deny poor kids free school holiday meals. 8 November 2020. Chronicle Live.
  14. Web site: Blyth Valley MP Ian Levy 'receives violent threats' after school meals vote. BBC News. 28 October 2020.
  15. News: Man given restraining order after harassing MP Ian Levy. 11 February 2023. 23 September 2023. BBC News.
  16. Web site: List of Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPS): April 2022 . 16 July 2022. gov.uk.
  17. News: Blyth Valley MP Ian Levy backing Boris Johnson as Tory leader. The Northern Echo. 21 October 2022. 1 December 2022. Robinson. James.
  18. News: Parliamentary Private Secretaries – November 2022. gov.uk. 23 September 2023.
  19. News: Ian Levy selected as Conservative candidate for the proposed Cramlington and Killingworth constituency. Northumberland Gazette. 5 April 2023. 23 September 2023. Coulson. Andrew.
  20. Web site: Ian Levy MP for Blyth Valley. Northumberland County Council. 1. 21 March 2021.
  21. Web site: Buchan . Craig . 17 January 2024 . Wife of Blyth Valley MP Ian Levy selected to contest Blyth and Ashington seat at next election . Northumberland Gazette.