Samantha Dixon was first elected as the Labour MP for City of Chester in a December 2022 by-election, doing so with a majority of 10,974.
The by-election was caused by the resignation of the former Labour MP, Chrisian Matheson, following a recommendation by parliament’s independent expert panel that he be suspended for four weeks over allegations of sexual misconduct towards a junior member of staff. Matheson always denied the claims but cited family and health concerns as the reason for his resignation.
The constituency of the City of Chester is found on the far western side of Cheshire bordering North Wales, and is predominately focussed around the City of Chester itself. Once a Conservative seat, this area bucked the national trend and was gained in 2015 by Labour. Containing a large student population, some 57% of voters supported remain in the 2016 Brexit referendum. The seat was once represented in Parliament for the Conservatives by the television personality, Gyles Brandreth. Labour retained the seat in the 2019 general election with a majority of 6,164.
Samantha Dixon has lived in the Chester area since the age of four, She previously resided in the Hoole and Upton areas of the city. She was educated at Christleton High in Chester. Now aged in her fifties, Dixon secured a degree in English literature from Sheffield University in 1987.
Dixon once worked as a press office for the auction house, Sotherby’s.
Dixon was elected to Cheshire West and Chester Council in 2011. Subsequently the leader of the Labour group, she was the Leader of the Council between 2015 and 2019. In 2022, Dixon was awarded an MBE for her services to Chester.
Samantha Dixon cites her interests as reading and knitting . She is a member of the North of England Zoological society. During the coronavirus lockdown she has talked about how she learnt to knit socks.
Dixon is married with three daughters.
Personal Website: https://samantha-dixon.co.uk/
Twitter – @CllrSDixon
