Jonathan Brash

Jonathan Brash
MP
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Hartlepool
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byJill Mortimer
Majority7,698 (21.7%)
Personal details
BornJonathan James Frederick Brash
PartyLabour
Other political
affiliations		Blue Labour
Occupation
  • Politician
  • Teacher

Jonathan James Frederick Brash[1] is a British Labour Party politician and former private school teacher who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Hartlepool since 2024. He gained the seat from Jill Mortimer, a Conservative.[2] He is a member of the Blue Labour caucus of Labour MPs.[3]

Early career

Brash was Head of Psychology at the Independent Yarm School. He also taught at Newcastle School for Boys and was the Chairman of Hartlepool Sixth Form College.[4]

Political career

In 2006, Brash became councillor for the Burn Valley ward in Hartlepool. He later left the Labour Party to become an Independent Councillor,[5] and stood down from the Council in 2016. Brash returned to the same role of councillor for the Labour Party in 2021.[6]

In the 2024 general election, Brash was elected as MP of Hartlepool. He received 46.2% of the vote and gained the seat from Jill Mortimer.[7]

On 11 August 2024, Brash announced that he was going to stand down as councillor so that he could focus on the role of MP. In a statement, he said: "Being an MP is a full-time job and now that the dust has settled on last month’s General Election, it’s the right time to step down as a councillor."[8]

In November 2024, Brash voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which proposes to legalise assisted suicide.[9] In Parliament, Brash Chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group's on Swimming and Council Tax Reform.[10] An article reported that Brash was accused of calling a constituent “a coward” in an online exchange.[11]

In June 2025, Brash joined over 120 fellow Labour MPs in signing a reasoned amendment to the Government's controversial welfare reform bill,[12] citing concerns that the bill would knowingly push many into poverty.[13] The government went on to abandon parts of the proposal as a result of the impending rebellion.[14]

Personal life

Brash is married to Pamela.[15] He is a fan of Hartlepool United.[16]

References

  1. ^ "General Election 2024 - Hartlepool result". Hartlepool Borough Council. 2024-07-04. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  2. ^ "Hartlepool | General Election 2024 | Sky News". election.news.sky.com. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  3. ^ Rodgers, Sienna; Scotson, Tom (1 February 2025). "Blue Labour v Reform: The Pro-Worker, Anti-Woke Plan To Beat Farage". PoliticsHome. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
  4. ^ "Who are Teesside's would-be Labour MPs?". North East Bylines. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Councillors by Name". Hartlepool Borough Council. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  6. ^ "Who are Teesside's would-be Labour MPs?". North East Bylines. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Hartlepool | General Election 2024 | Sky News". election.news.sky.com. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  8. ^ "MP steps down as councillor to focus on 'full-time' job". BBC. 11 August 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Second Reading". Votes in Parliament. 29 November 2024.
  10. ^ "Jonathan Brash: APPG officer roles Second". UK Parliament. 18 February 2025.
  11. ^ "Another Social Media Row Erupts as Labour MP Jonathan Brash Accused of Calling Resident "a Coward": Full newspaper post".
  12. ^ "Welfare reform bill: Full text of reasoned amendment and list of rebel Labour MPS".
  13. ^ https://x.com/JonathanBrash/status/1937414090579742818
  14. ^ "Starmer climbs down on disability benefits cuts after rebellion by Labour MPs". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  15. ^ "My Story".
  16. ^ "Debate between Jonathan Brash and Christopher Chope". Parallel Parliament. 22 July 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_James_Frederick_Brash