Matt Vickers
Matt Vickers | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2019 | |
| Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party | |
| In office 9 July 2022 – 5 July 2024 | |
| Leader | Boris Johnson Liz Truss Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Justin Tomlinson |
| Member of ParliamentforStockton West Stockton South(2019–2024) | |
| Assumed office 12 December 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Williams |
| Member ofStockton-on-Tees Borough Council for Hartburn | |
| In office May 2015 – April 2021 Serving with Lynn Hall | |
| Preceded by | Ken Lupton |
| Succeeded by | Niall Innes |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 September 1983 Stockton-on-Tees,County Durham,England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Alma mater | Teesside University |
| Website | mattvickers |
Matthew Alexander Vickers[1](born 24 September 1983)[2]is a British politician who served as themember of Parliament(MP) forStockton Southfrom 12 December 2019 to 30 May 2024, and asDeputy Chairman of the Conservative Partysince July 2022. In the2024 general election,he was elected inStockton Westas the only Conservative in the whole of theNorth East of England.[3]
Early life
[edit]Vickers was born inUniversity Hospital of North Teesto local business owners Hilary and Alexander Vickers.[4][5]He grew up inStockton-on-Teesand has three brothers.[6]He studied law and business management atTeesside University[7]and previously worked atWoolworthsandHome Bargainsincluding in a management role.[8][9][10]
Local political career
[edit]Vickers stood for election in the Norton West ward on theStockton-on-Tees Borough Councilin 2007 and 2011 losing to Labour Party candidates Ann and Dick Cains[11]and David and Norma Wilburn respectively.[12]In 2015 he stood for election in the Hartburn ward and became a councillor and leader of the Conservative group on the council from May 2015 until April 2021, when he stood down forcing a by-election.[13]
Between 2009 and 2019, he was the constituency agent forRichmond (Yorks).Vickers initially worked withWilliam Hague.Following Hague's retirement, Vickers helped to runRishi Sunak's successful general election campaigns in 2015 and 2017.[14]
Vickers stood as the Conservative candidate forCleveland Police and Crime Commissionerin 2016 losing toBarry Coppingerafter the second preference votes were counted with a 37.9% vote share.[15][16]
After being elected as an MP in 2019 he faced criticism due to his ongoing representation as a councillor whilst an elected MP, being labelled as a "part time MP" by other councillors from the region.[17]In response to criticism, Vickers highlighted how he did not claim any expenses and donated all his councillor salary to three local charities, which helped veterans, those suffering with dementia and homelessness in the constituency.[18]At the time of his departure as a councillor, his allowance amounted to a minimum of £9,300 per year.[19][20]The only confirmed recipient of a donation is The Teesside Dementia Link Services who received a £500 donation from his councillor allowance.[21]
Parliamentary career
[edit]He was elected as MP forStockton Southat the2019 general electionwith a majority of 5,260. The seat had previously been held by Labour'sPaul Williams.[22]From March 2020 to 16 January 2021, Vickers sat on theCommittee on the Future Relationship with the European Union.[23]
As of September 2020, Matt Vickers has served as the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Retail.[24]
On 19 November 2020, Vickers backed thehome secretary,Priti Patel,after a Cabinet Office inquiry found evidence that Patel had breached the ministerial code followingbullying allegations,publicly supporting Patel: "[Patel] is one of the most hardworking Home Secretaries this country has had."[25]
Vickers, along with 22 other MPs, wrote toAttorney GeneralSuella Bravermanin August 2020 requesting that thekilling of police officer Andrew Harpercase, where the perpetrators were convicted ofmanslaughter,be referred to theCourt of Appealunder theunduly lenient sentence schemeas he supported a life imprisonment.[26]
He has been a member of thePetitions Committeesince 1 March 2021.[23]
On 27 September 2021, Vickers wrote a letter to theHouse of Commonsdirector of catering requesting that the Teesside dish the chickenParmobe added to the menu. After a successful campaign, the Parmo was added to the menu for a short period of time.[27]
He was a member of theLevelling Up, Housing and Communities Committeefrom 19 October 2021 to 21 June 2022.[23]
Vickers was a member of theHome Affairs Select Committeeand theJustice Select Committeefrom 15 March to 27 June 2022.[23]
Following a rebellion in which 36 MPs signed Vickers' amendment to thePolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022,theSecretary of State for Justicepledged to introduce measures to make assaults on those performing a duty to the public a statutory aggravating factor in the form of Lords Amendment 104. Vickers subsequently hailed this as "a landmark victory for shop workers and retail staff across the country".[28][29]
In June 2022, during thevote of no confidence in the Conservative Party leadership of Boris Johnson,Vickers publicly supported Johnson.[30]
On 13 June 2022, Vickers was appointedParliamentary Private Secretaryto theHome Officeministerial team, alongsideLuke Evans.[31]
In July 2022, Vickers was appointedDeputy Chairman of the Conservative Party.[32]
Vickers led a debate in theHouse of Commonsfor tougher measures against off-road bikes and other anti-social behaviour in Stockton in July 2023 and continues to advocate for cooperation between local police and his constituents.[33][34]
In November 2023, the Chancellor of the Exchequer,Jeremy Huntextended the 75% retail, hospitality, and leisure business relief rates until April 2025. Hunt publicly thanked Vickers for his tenacious campaigning on this issue in his Autumn Statement address on 22 November 2023.[35]
References
[edit]- ^"Members Sworn".UK Parliament.18 December 2019.Retrieved28 January2020.
- ^Brunskill, Ian (19 March 2020).The Times guide to the House of Commons 2019: the definitive record of Britain's historic 2019 General Election.HarperCollins Publishers Limited. p. 342.ISBN978-0-00-839258-1.OCLC1129682574.
- ^"General election: Matt Vickers re-elected as last Conservative MP standing on Teesside".Yahoo News.5 July 2024.Retrieved5 July2024.
- ^"VICKERS CONSTRUCTION LIMITED people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK".find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk.Retrieved25 October2022.
- ^"Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council - Register of Interests for Cllr Hilary Vickers".www.egenda.stockton.gov.uk.Retrieved25 October2022.
- ^GB News (2 November 2021).The Real Me: Matt Vickers, MP for Stockton South.YouTube.Event occurs at 00:33.
- ^"Teesside University | 🎓 Always good to visit my former uni: Teesside University. It has gone through some big changes since my time there, ready to nurture and provide the... | By Matt Vickers MP | Facebook".www.facebook.com.Retrieved25 October2022.
- ^Brown, Mike (13 December 2019)."Who is Matt Vickers? Meet the councillor and Brexiteer who's the new MP for Stockton South".Teesside Live.Retrieved23 October2020.
- ^Hill, Henry (2 November 2018)."Matthew Vickers selected for Stockton South".Conservative Home.Retrieved23 October2020.
- ^Courtez, Jack (9 June 2021)."Conservative MP calls on government to back down and support new laws to protect shop workers".betterRetailing.Retrieved25 October2022.
- ^"Local Elections Archive Project - 2007 - Stockton-on-Tees".www.andrewteale.me.uk.Retrieved4 June2024.
- ^"Local Elections Archive Project - 2011 - Stockton-on-Tees".www.andrewteale.me.uk.Retrieved4 June2024.
- ^Metcalfe, Alex (10 March 2021)."Teesside MP Matt Vickers to step down from role as councillor".The Northern Echo.Retrieved21 October2021.
- ^"Join Rishi in saying farewell and thanks to Matt".Richmond (Yorks).Retrieved23 October2020.
- ^"Barry Coppinger re-elected as Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner".BBC News.6 May 2016.Retrieved23 October2020.
- ^"Barry Coppinger re-elected as Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner".BBC News.8 April 2016.Retrieved8 December2023.
- ^Metcalfe, Alex (28 July 2020)."Matt Vickers criticised as 'part time MP' - but claims he was 'booted out' of fiery council meeting".Teesside Live.Retrieved31 July2020.
- ^Nolan, Laura (19 August 2020)."MP speaks on decision to remain as a local councillor after criticism".The Northern Echo.Retrieved21 October2021.
- ^"Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council – Annual Financial Statements 2020/21 (Members' Allowances 1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021)"(PDF).Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.Retrieved18 December2021.
- ^"Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Member Expenses for 2019–20 (Members' Allowances)"(PDF).Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.Retrieved18 December2021.
- ^"Teesside Dementia Link Services – Thank you Matt Vickers".tdls2016.org.14 September 2020.Retrieved21 October2021.
- ^"Stockton South parliamentary constituency – Election 2019".BBC News.Retrieved13 December2019.
- ^abcd"Parliamentary career for Matt Vickers".UK Parliament.Retrieved13 October2022.
- ^Jahshan, Elias (2 September 2020)."Cross party parliamentary group formed to back retail industry".Retail Gazette.Retrieved24 November2023.
- ^Scott, Jim (20 November 2020)."North-East MPs defend Priti Patel amid allegations of bullying".The Northern Echo.Retrieved13 October2022.
- ^Vickers, Matt (5 August 2020)."Matt Vickers: The killing of Andrew Harper. Why I, alongside 22 other MPs, wrote to the Attorney General last Friday".Conservative Home.Retrieved20 October2021.
- ^Dawson, Kirsty (27 September 2021)."Teesside MP calls for Parmos to be served in Parliament – but not everyone is impressed".Teesside Live.Retrieved13 October2022.
- ^Vickers, Matt (6 July 2021).Very happy with the Government's commitment to legislate to protect retail workers following yesterday's debate.Twitter.Retrieved13 October2022.
- ^"Matt Vickers applauds" fair and just "new measures in PCSC Bill to protect retail workers".Matt Vickers.15 March 2022.Retrieved20 June2022.
- ^"Full list: the Tory MPs backing Boris Johnson".The Spectator.6 June 2022.Retrieved3 July2022.
- ^Heale, James [@JAHeale] (13 June 2022)."-Luke Evans and Matt Vickers to the Home Office team"(Tweet).Retrieved14 June2022– viaTwitter.
- ^Larman, Connor (12 July 2022)."Stockton MP Matt Vickers 'delighted' to be appointed deputy chairman of Conservative Party".The Northern Echo.Retrieved13 July2022.
- ^"Antisocial Behaviour and Off-road Bikes".Hansard. 11 July 2023.Retrieved27 November2023.
- ^Lightfoot, Gareth (13 July 2023)."MP Matt Vickers leads off-road bikes debate in Parliament".Teesside Gazette.Teesside Live.Retrieved27 November2023.
- ^Hunt, Jeremy."Autumn Statement 2023".Hansard.Retrieved27 November2023.
External links
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