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Derek Thomas (politician)

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This article is about the politician. For other people with the same name, see Derek Thomas.

Derek Thomas
Member of Parliament
for St Ives
In office
7 May 2015 – 30 May 2024
Preceded byAndrew George
Succeeded byAndrew George
Personal details
Born (1972-07-20) 20 July 1972 (age 52)
Cornwall, England
Political partyConservative
Websitehttps://www.derekthomas.org/

Derek Gordon Thomas[1] (born 20 July 1972) is a British Conservative politician and former property developer who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for St Ives from 2015 until the 2024 United Kingdom general election.[2]

Early life and career

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Derek Thomas was born on 20 July 1972 in Cornwall to parents who were evangelical missionaries.[3] He grew up in West Cornwall and went on to complete a traditional Cornish Mason Apprenticeship.[4][5]

He then in South London and then returned to West Cornwall to be a development manager for Mustard Seed, a voluntary organisation in Helston which helps in meeting of the needs of adults with learning disabilities on a day care basis, through provision of training in essential life skills with a view to greater integration within the community.[4] He later started his own small construction business as a property developer.[3]

Political career

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Thomas was first elected as a candidate for the Conservative Party at a by-election in November 2005 for Penzance Central ward on Penwith District Council. He narrowly beat the Liberal Democrat candidate and subsequently opposed the creation of a unitary Cornwall Council. In May 2009, he did not stand for the new Penzance Central ward on the amalgamated Cornwall Council and the seat was narrowly won by the Liberal Democrat candidate.[3][6]

At the 2010 general election, Thomas stood as the Conservative candidate in St Ives, coming second with 39% of the vote behind the incumbent Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George.[7][8]

Parliamentary career

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Thomas was elected to Parliament as MP for St Ives at the 2015 general election with 38.3% of the vote and a majority of 2,469.[9][10] [11]

He supported the Leave campaign in the 2016 Brexit referendum.[12]

At the snap 2017 general election, Thomas was re-elected as MP for St Ives with an increased vote share of 43.2% and a decreased majority of 312.[13]

In April 2019, Thomas was criticised for saying that Cornwall has a National Park on the Lizard Peninsula during a debate he secured to discuss 'Effect of the 25 Year Environment Plan on World Health', when in fact the area is a National Nature Reserve and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.[14][15] Despite this error the debate was positively received by MPs and led to Thomas being invited to apply to the Environmental Audit Committee by its Chair Mary Creagh.[16]

In May 2019, Cornish MPs received local scrutiny following release of expenses figures for that year, Thomas claimed £184,937, therefore making him Cornwall's "second most expensive MP" after Steve Double.[17] Thomas said: "Having run my own business before being elected an MP, I am acutely aware of the need to keep a close eye on what is being spent. I constantly look at ways of reducing my expenses but believe my claims are very reasonable for an MP representing a constituency in the extreme south west of the country”.[18]

In June 2019, Thomas supported the establishment of a Marine Conservation Zone west of Land's End, calling the move a "big step forward".[19]

In the House of Commons, he sits on the Environmental Audit Committee and the Work and Pensions Select Committee having previously sat on both the Health and Social Care Select Committee and the Science and technology Select Committees.[20][21]

Thomas is currently the Chair of the following All-Party Parliamentary Groups: Brain Tumours, Vascular and Venous Disease, and Axial spondyloarthritis.[22][23][24] As well as chairing those APPGs, Thomas is Vice Chair for the following APPG groups: Post Office Group, UK Islands Group and Home Electrical Safety Group (Vice Chair and Secretary).[25][26] He is Secretary for the Healthy Homes and Buildings Group, and Treasurer for the Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency Group and also the South West Rail Group.[27][28] He is a member of the Ocean Conservation Group, The Minimum Unit Pricing of Alcohol Group and the Great South West Alliance group.[29]

At the 2019 general election, Thomas was again re-elected, with an increased vote share of 49.3% and an increased majority of 4,280.[30]

He backed Penny Mordaunt in the leadership contests in 2022.[31]

Personal life

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Thomas lives in West Cornwall in the village of St Buryan with his wife Tamsin and their three young children.[5][32]

References

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  1. ^ "No. 61230". The London Gazette. 18 May 2015. p. 9120.
  2. ^ "St Ives". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "Derek Thomas - Prospective MP". St. Ives & The Isles of Scilly Conservatives. Cornwall, United Kingdom. Retrieved 8 May 2015.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ a b "Mustard seed a local charity". Mustard Seed. Cornwall. 9 April 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b "About Derek". DerekThomas.org. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  6. ^ "About Derek". Personal website. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  7. ^ Lavery, Kevin (20 April 2010). "St. Ives statement of persons nominated and notice of poll" (PDF). Acting Returning Officer, Cornwall Council. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  8. ^ "BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – St Ives". BBC News.
  9. ^ "UK Polling Report". ukpollingreport.co.uk.
  10. ^ "Candidates (PPCs) for St Ives in the UK 2015 general election – YourNextMP.com". YourNextMP. 14 December 2021.
  11. ^ "St Ives". BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  12. ^ Read. "Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence? | Coffee House". Blogs.spectator.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  13. ^ "St Ives parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
  14. ^ Taylor, Kira (10 April 2019). "MPs push for environment bill in debate led by Derek Thomas". Cornish Stuff. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  15. ^ "Westminster Hall - EXTRACT Tuesday 9 April 2019 Meeting started at 2.29pm, ended 5.44pm". Parliament.tv. 9 April 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  16. ^ "World Health: 25-Year Environment Plan - Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  17. ^ Reines, Jeff (14 May 2019). "Cornwall MPs claimed more than £1 million in expenses last year". Cornwall Live. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  18. ^ Reines, Jeff (14 May 2019). "Cornwall MPs claimed more than £1 million in expenses last year". cornwalllive. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  19. ^ "New Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) for Cornwall 'a big step forward'". Cornish Stuff. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  20. ^ "Work in Westminster". Derek Thomas MP. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  21. ^ "Derek Thomas MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  22. ^ "House of Commons - Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 8 May 2019: Axial Spondyloarthritis". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  23. ^ "House of Commons - Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 8 May 2019: Brain Tumours". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  24. ^ "House of Commons - Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 8 May 2019: Vascular and Venous Disease". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  25. ^ "House of Commons - Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 8 May 2019: Post Offices". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  26. ^ "House of Commons - Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 8 May 2019: Home Electrical Safety". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  27. ^ "House of Commons - Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 8 May 2019: Healthy Homes and Buildings". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  28. ^ "House of Commons - Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 8 May 2019: Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  29. ^ "House of Commons - Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 8 May 2019: Ocean Conservation". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  30. ^ "St Ives Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  31. ^ Cornwall Live, Oliver Vergnault, Cornwall MP Steve Double panned on Twitter for "letting others think for himself" over PM choice. 23/10/2022
  32. ^ "IPSA". GOV.UK. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for St Ives
2015–2024 		Succeeded by
Andrew George
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