Tom Gordon (British politician) explained

Tom Gordon
Parliament:United Kingdom
Constituency Mp:Harrogate and Knaresborough
Term Start:4 July 2024
Predecessor:Andrew Jones
Majority:8,238 (15.9%)
Birth Name:Thomas Anthony Gordon
Birth Place:Knottingley, West Yorkshire, England
Party:Liberal Democrats
Alma Mater:Newcastle University

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

Early life and career

Thomas Anthony Gordon[1] was born and raised in Knottingley.[2] 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.[3] 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,[3] 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.[4] 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.[5] He had previously stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford at the 2019 United Kingdom general election.[6] Gordon was chosen as the party's candidate for the constituency of Harrogate and Knaresborough,[7] which he won with 23,976 votes (46.1 per cent) at the 2024 general election.[8]

Personal life

Gordon is gay.[9] He is also a keen badminton player and runner, regularly participating in Parkrun events,[2] [10] and had completed more than a dozen long distance charity runs, including marathons in Paris and Berlin, to raise money for charity.[11]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Election results for Batley and Spen, 1 July 2021 . Kirklees Council . en . 17 July 2024.
  2. News: 5 questions to the Liberal Democrat election candidate for Harrogate & Knaresborough . 30 June 2024 . Harrogate Informer . en . 6 July 2024 . 6 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240706191705/https://www.harrogate-news.co.uk/2024/06/30/5-questions-to-the-liberal-democrat-election-candidate-for-harrogate-knaresborough/ . live.
  3. Web site: 'My mum's cancer struggle got me into politics' . Laver . Adam . 6 July 2024 . BBC News . en . 6 July 2024 . 10 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710021749/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw5ydg03edko . live.
  4. News: Disappointing night for Labour in Wakefield at local elections . Spereall . David . 3 May 2019 . Yorkshire Evening Post . en . 13 July 2024 . 6 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221206153436/https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/politics/disappointing-night-for-labour-in-wakefield-at-local-elections-482182 . live .
  5. News: Batley and Spen by-election: Lib Dems choose new candidate . 3 June 2021 . 7 July 2024 . 6 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221206153436/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-leeds-57351290 . live .
  6. News: Wakefield councillor becomes new Lib Dem candidate for Batley and Spen by-election. Spereall. David. 3 June 2021. Wakefield Express. en. 3 June 2021. 3 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210603182513/https://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/politics/wakefield-councillor-tom-gordon-becomes-new-liberal-democrat-candidate-for-batley-and-spen-by-election-3260465. live.
  7. Web site: Wakefield Council Lib Dem leader Tom Gordon selected as Westminster candidate. Gardner. Tony. 6 February 2023. The Yorkshire Post. en. 7 July 2024. 8 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230208102407/https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politics/wakefield-council-lib-dem-leader-tom-gordon-selected-as-westminster-candidate-4015537. live.
  8. News: Harrogate and Knaresborough – General election results 2024 . BBC News . en . 5 July 2024 . 5 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240705081324/https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001269 . live .
  9. Gordon . Tom . tomgordonLD . 1239840883303944192 . 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. . dead . https://archive.today/20240709231746/https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:https://x.com/tomgordonLD/status/1239840883303944192 . 9 July 2024.
  10. Gordon . Tom . tomgordonLD . 1809527047875641831 . 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 .
  11. Web site: Our new MPs: David Chadwick, Manuela Perteghella, Tom Gordon . 8 July 2024 . Liberal Democrat Voice . en . 10 July 2024.

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