Peter Gibson
MP
Member of Parliament
for Darlington
Assumed office
12 December 2019
Preceded byJenny Chapman
Majority3,294 (7.6%)
Personal details
Born (1975-05-22) 22 May 1975
Middlesbrough, England
Political partyConservative
Alma materNewcastle University
Websitewww.petergibson.org

Peter Alexander Gibson (born 22 May 1975) is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Darlington since the 2019 general election.[1][2] He is a member of the Conservative Party.

Early life and career

Gibson was born in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, to parents Alexander Francis Gibson and Anita Gibson (née Popple).[2] He grew up in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, attending the town's Huntcliff Secondary School and then Sir William Turner's Sixth Form College in Redcar. He studied law at the University of Newcastle, graduating with an LLB in 1997. In 2000, he gained a Postgraduate Certificate in Legal Practice from the College of Law in York.[3]

Gibson worked for Corries Solicitors in York from 1998 onwards: he was admitted as a solicitor in 2001, and stayed with the firm in that role until 2005. That year, he joined Minster Law Solicitors in York, and worked as a solicitor for them until 2006.[2]

Prior to being elected as an MP, he worked as a solicitor specialising in personal injury litigation: he was the Principal Solicitor and Managing Director of Coles Solicitors in Northallerton from 2006 to 2019.[4][3] After selling Coles Solicitors, he was a Managing Director of Kingly Solicitors in London for several months, resigning on the day of the 2019 general election.[5]

He voted Remain in the 2016 Brexit referendum.[6] Gibson is a member of the Rotary Club of Northallerton Mowbray, and became a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International in 2019.

Parliamentary career

Gibson was previously the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Redcar in 2017.[7] He was defeated by Labour incumbent Anna Turley, but increased the Conservative share of the vote by 17%, bringing them from fourth to second place in the constituency with 33.2%.[8]

Gibson defeated Labour's shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman at the 2019 general election, taking the seat for the Conservatives for the first time in 27 years and securing a majority of over 3,000.[9]

Gibson used his maiden speech in the House of Commons to advocate several constituency issues.[10] During his first nine months as an MP representing Darlington, Gibson has been involved with a number of local projects. In an article published in a regional newspaper, The Northern Echo, Gibson said: "I've spoken with the head of every school and college, and have launched the Darlington Debates competition in conjunction with the amazing Darlington Rotary Club. I've hosted Zoom calls for Scouts, helped pack bags, organised and participated in numerous litterpicks, helped establish the new Friends of North Cemetery and attended their first clean up, and I've lobbied Network Rail to smarten up its bridges which serve as a gateway to our town."[11]

In Parliament, he was a member of the Women and Equalities Committee from March 2020 to June 2021.[12] In March 2020, Gibson said that he took a train journey home while suffering suspected Coronavirus, posting a message on his Facebook page saying: "When it was suspected that I had covid I was advised to travel home and isolate in my home, undertaking a 250 mile journey from London."[13]

In October 2020, as part of a protest organised by some Darlington residents, empty plates and teddy bears were placed outside his constituency office after he voted against a Labour Party Opposition Day Motion to extend free school meals over holidays.[14]

On 6 July 2022, he resigned as Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Department for International Trade in protest at Boris Johnson's conduct in the Chris Pincher scandal.[15] His resignation letter criticised "the damage our party has inflicted on itself over the failure to include trans people in the ban on conversion therapy".[15] In September 2022, he was reappointed to the Truss ministry as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Cabinet Office.

Personal life

Gibson entered into a civil partnership with Gareth Wedgwood Dadd in 2008. Dadd is deputy leader of North Yorkshire County Council.[16]

Gibson lists his recreations as travel and cinema: he is a member of Easingwold and District Cinema Club.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "'I have fallen in love with this town' says Darlington's new Conservative MP". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Gibson, Peter Alexander, (born 22 May 1975), MP (C) Darlington, since 2019". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2020. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u293981. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Peter Gibson". Coles Law. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  4. ↑ Hyde, John (9 December 2019). "News focus: Lawyers line up for parliament". The Law Gazette. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  5. ↑ "Kingly Solicitors Directors". Companies House. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  6. ↑ Gibson, Peter (5 February 2019). "BREXIT Your Questions Answered". Peter Gibson for Darlington. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  7. ↑ "Redcar parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News.
  8. ↑ "Redcar parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News". Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  9. ↑ Brown, Mike (13 December 2019). "General Election: Tories gain Darlington for first time since 92". gazettelive. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  10. ↑ Conner-Hill, Rachel (28 January 2020). "Darlington MP Peter Gibson makes maiden Commons speech". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  11. ↑ "Peter Gibson: my first nine months as your MP". The Northern Echo. 11 September 2020.
  12. ↑ "Peter Gibson - Parliamentary career". UK Parliament. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  13. ↑ Mike Brown (28 May 2020). "Darlington MP says he travelled 250 miles with suspected coronavirus on train". Teesside News. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  14. ↑ "Teddies left outside Darlington MP's office in protest of free school meals vote". The Northern Echo. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  15. 1 2 Conner-Hill, Rachel (6 July 2022). "Darlington MP turns on Boris Johnson and becomes latest to resign". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 6 July 2022.
  16. ↑ Minting, Stuart (2 December 2021). "Local authority responds after councillors held hostage and homes vandalised". The Northern Echo.
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