Tobias Ellwood was first elected as the Conservative MP for Bournemouth East in 2005, having been reelected in 2019 with a majority of 8,806.
He briefly lost the Conservative whip in July 2022 having been absent from a Commons No Confidence Vote in the government. He had the whip restored under Liz Trust in October 2022.
The Dorset constituency of Bournemouth East contains the Bournemouth districts of Boscombe (popular with surfers), alongside the areas of West Southbourne, Throop and Queen’s Park. This seat has supported the Conservative Party ever since 1922, albeit the party rarely polls much more than 50% of the vote here. With ongoing demographic changes, and a collapse in the Lib Dem vote, it is certainly possible that Labour could gain this seat at the next election.
Ellwood currently serves as the Chairman of the Commons Defence Select Committee.
In June 2021, Ellwood called for an expansion of the Royal Navy to allow Britain to defend itself in international waters. In the comments, made after an incident with the Russians in the Black Sea, he claimed that the threats facing Britain were greater than they were in the Gulf War.
He previously served as junior Minister at Defence (2017-2019) and Under Secretary of State at the Foreign Office (2014-2017).
Ellwood received praise for providing resuscitation to PC Keith Palmer who was fatally stabbed during a 2017 terrorist attack at the Palace of Westminster. Ellwood’s own brother was killed in the Bali terrorist bombing in 2002.
Born in 1966, Ellwood was educated at Loughborough University, he spent five years in the Army with the Royal Green Jackets, where he served in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Kuwait, Germany, Gibraltar and Bosnia. He rose to the rank of Captain. Ellwood continues to serve in the the Territorial Army.
He studied for an MBA at the City University Business School, and then moved to the London Stock Exchange for two years where he was a Senior Business Development Manager. He was formerly a councilor in Hertfordshire.
Ellwood is considered to be on the left of the Conservative Party. He supported Matt Hancock and Rory Stewart in the 2019 Conservative leadership election, and backed Remain in the 2016 EU referendum.
In early 2022, Ellwood called on Boris Johnson to resign following the ‘partygate’ affair.
He is married to Hannah and has two sons. He has a private pilot’s licence.
Email: tobias.ellwood.mp@parliament.uk
Personal Website: www.tobiasellwood.com
Twitter: @TobiasEllwoodMP
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TobiasEllwood
