Ashley Dalton
MP
Official portrait, 2023
Member of Parliament
for West Lancashire
Assumed office
9 February 2023
Preceded byRosie Cooper
Majority8,326 (36.9%)
2023–presentWomen and Equalities
Personal details
Born15 August
Leyland, Lancashire[citation needed]
Political partyLabour
Alma materMiddlesex University (BA, DipHE)
Websitewww.ashleydalton.uk

Ruth Ashley Charman Dalton (born 15 August)[1] is a British Labour Party politician and former community worker who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for West Lancashire since the 2023 West Lancashire by-election, succeeding Rosie Cooper.[2]

Early life, education and career

Ruth Ashley Charman Dalton[3] was raised in Leyland, South Ribble, in Lancashire.[4] Her father worked on the factory floor at Leyland Motors, and later set up his own business as a nurseryman.[5] She became aware of the Labour Party at the age of 14, when a customer ordered 40 red rose buttonholes for a by-election count from her father's florist's shop, and joined the party while at university.[6]

She attended All Hallows Catholic High School in Penwortham (1983–1988) and Preston College (1989–1991), and obtained a BA in English and politics (1996) and a DipHE in professional development (voluntary sector) (1997) from Middlesex University.[7]

Dalton worked for Southend-on-Sea Council for 17 years,[8] and at the time of her selection she worked part-time for a Lancashire charity.[5]

Political career

Dalton was Labour's candidate in Rochford and Southend East in the 2017 and 2019 general elections.[8]

She was selected on 9 October 2022 as Labour's candidate in the West Lancashire by-election.[9] The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Rosie Cooper.[10] Dalton was elected MP with 14,068 votes (62.3%).[11] In her victory speech, Dalton called for a general election.[12]

Dalton took her oath of office on Monday 20 February.[13] She signed an early day motion welcoming the investigation into the 2022 UEFA Champions League final chaos on the same day.[14] She was a guest at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla.[15]

In the House of Commons she is Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities on the Opposition frontbench of Keir Starmer.[16]

Personal life

Dalton is a survivor of breast cancer.[17] She is a parent and a carer.[18] Her ex-husband died of kidney cancer.[19]

She identifies as LGBT,[20][21] and has called herself "a gay woman".[22]

References

  1. ^ https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/welcome-home-rishi-sunak/
  2. ^ Brown, Faye (10 February 2023). "West Lancashire by-election: Labour hold onto seat". Sky News. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Statement of persons nominated ... Election of a Member of Parliament for West Lancashire" (PDF). Acting Returning Officer. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  4. ^ Bugel, Safi (8 February 2023). "West Lancashire byelection: Labour odds-on favourite to hold seat". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  5. ^ a b Barre, Claire (12 October 2022). "Labour Party's 'surprise' candidate for crunch West Lancashire by-election dubbed 'referendum on fracking'". LancsLive. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  6. ^ Bugel, Safi (10 February 2023). "Labour wins West Lancashire byelection with 10% swing". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  7. ^ "Ashley Dalton". LinkedIn. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  8. ^ a b Neame, Katie (9 February 2023). "Voters head to the polls in West Lancashire to select their next MP". LabourList. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  9. ^ Williams, Olivia (9 October 2022). "Labour candidate announced for West Lancashire by-election". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  10. ^ Smyth, Mairead (5 February 2023). "West Lancashire by-election: Candidates step up battle for votes". BBC News. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  11. ^ Penna, Dominic (10 February 2023). "Labour secures comfortable win in West Lancashire byelection". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  12. ^ The Independent. "Labour's West Lancashire by-election winner Ashley Dalton takes aim at Tories". YouTube. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  13. ^ Wheeler, Richard. "Labour MPs cheer the arrival of their newest Commons colleague". Irish News. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  14. ^ "2022 Champions League Final and Liverpool Football Club supporters". UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  15. ^ Torrance, David (25 October 2023). "House of Commons Library: Research Briefing Number CBP 9789 - The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla" (PDF). UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  16. ^ "Ashley Dalton MP, Labour Women's Network Committee". Labour Women's Network. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  17. ^ Berrill, Lewis (1 October 2021). "Ashley Dalton calls for improved cancer screening access". Echo. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  18. ^ "Why I'm Standing". Ashley Dalton for West Lancashire. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  19. ^ Dalton, Ashley [@Ashley__Dalton] (13 May 2022). "My late ex husband ..." (Tweet). Retrieved 10 February 2023 – via Twitter.
  20. ^ Dalton, Ashley [@Ashley__Dalton] (7 August 2021). "I'm standing for election ..." (Tweet). Retrieved 10 February 2023 – via Twitter. I'm a passionate feminist and LGBT woman
  21. ^ Edwards, Peter (11 December 2017). "LGBT Labour campaigner picked to take on Tory banker in Essex target seat". LabourList. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  22. ^ Bugel, Safi (9 February 2023). "Polls close in West Lancashire byelection". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 February 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ashley Dalton.
Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded byRosie Cooper Member of Parliament for West Lancashire 2023– Incumbent
Authority control databases: People
Labour Party MPs in the North West
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