Andy McDonald has been the Labour MP for Middlesbrough since 2012, and was reelected in 2019 with a majority of 8,390.
The constituency of Middlesbrough covers the heart of Middlesbrough in Teesside. Once the centre of the world’s steelmaking industry, this is a relatively deprived constituency in which unemployment remains well above the national average. A very safe Labour seat, this area has been represented by Labour ever since the Second World War. Some two thirds of the electorate backed Brexit in the 2016 EU referendum. This seat is home to Teesside University.
McDonald served as the Shadow Secretary of State for Employment Rights between 2019 and 2021, having previously served as Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary under Jeremy Corbyn. He resigned from the Shadow Cabinet during the 2021 Labour Party conference.
Born in 1958 in Acklam, McDonald was educated at Leeds Polytechnic, and worked as a solicitor specialising in personal injury before becoming an MP. He served on Middlesbrough Council between 1995 and 1999.
McDonald is widely regarded as being on the left of the Labour Party. He nominated Rebecca Long Bailey in the 2020 Labour leadership election, and was a strong supporter of Jeremy Corbyn during his time as Labour leader.
Andy McDonald is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Epilepsy; and Acquired Brain Injury.
Email: andy.mcdonald.2nd@parliament.uk
Personal Website: http://www.andymcdonaldmp.org
Twitter: @andymcdonaldmp
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AndyMcDonaldMP
