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Ian Byrne

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For the hurler of the same name, see Ian Byrne (hurler).
Ian Byrne
MP
Official portrait, 2019
Member of Parliament
for Liverpool West Derby
Incumbent
Assumed office
12 December 2019
Preceded byStephen Twigg
Majority20,423 (53.8%)
Personal details
Born
Ian Robert Byrne

(1972-05-10) 10 May 1972 (age 52)
Liverpool, England
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		Labour Party (2018–2024; suspended and whip withdrawn)
Socialist Campaign Group (2019–present)
Alma materOpen University
WebsiteOfficial website

Ian Robert Byrne[1] (born 10 May 1972)[2] is a British independent, formely Labour politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Liverpool West Derby since 2019.[3]

Early life and career

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Ian Byrne was born on 10 May 1972 in Liverpool. He grew up on the Stockbridge Village (formerly Cantril Farm) estate in the city. At the age of 16 he was present at the Hillsborough disaster and escaped before the crush occurred. His father was seriously injured.[4]

He worked as a taxi driver while studying at The Open University, gaining a degree over six years.[5] He was an active member of Unite the Union, where he later was employed as a trade union organiser. His work included organising sub-contracted NHS workers for better pay and conditions.[6]

In 2015, Byrne co-founded Fans Supporting Foodbanks, a community initiative by football fans to tackle food poverty in Liverpool.[7][8] Before becoming an MP, he worked with Dan Carden in the neighbouring constituency of Liverpool Walton.

In 2018, Byrne was elected as a councillor to Liverpool City Council, representing the Everton ward alongside Labour's Cllr Jane Corbett and Cllr Frank Prendergast MBE.[9] He continued to serve as a local councillor after becoming an MP, donating his councillor's allowance to Vauxhall Law Centre.[10] In 2022, Byrne stood down from his council seat and was succeeded by his daughter, Ellie.[11]

Parliamentary career

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On 3 November 2019, Byrne was selected as the Labour candidate for Liverpool West Derby. Byrne won the "chaotic" selection process by three votes against local councillor Angela Coleman.[12] Byrne apologised when it was reported he had posted historical comments abusing Conservative politicians, a joke involving the Paralympics and a homophobic slur on his Facebook account; the account was then deleted.[13] Liz Truss called on Byrne to stand down as a candidate following the controversy.[14] Labour shadow Chancellor John McDonnell publicly supported Byrne's nomination.[15]

At the 2019 general election, Byrne was elected to Parliament as MP for Liverpool West Derby with 77.6% of the vote and a majority of 29,984.[3][16]

Byrne was a supporter of the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn. He is a member of the Socialist Campaign Group and backed his Campaign Group colleagues Rebecca Long-Bailey and Richard Burgon in the 2020 Labour leadership election and deputy leadership election.[17]

In December 2020, Byrne launched a campaign for the Right to Food to be written into UK law.[18] Byrne was named as "Overall MP of the Year" for 2021 by the Patchwork Foundation, in recognition for his campaigning against food insecurity and workers' rights during the COVID-19 pandemic.[19][20]

During 2022, Byrne was criticised by some Labour members for allegedly putting campaigns on food poverty and the legacy of the Hillsborough disaster ahead of constituency issues.[21] West Derby Constituency Labour Party branches and affiliates voted to trigger a reselection process for the seat in October 2022.[22][23][24][25] Byrne raised concerns about the reselection process, and threatened to take legal action after alleging multiple rule breaches.[26][27] He said he would consider getting police guidance over alleged intimidation at a campaign event. Supporters of his rival said there was no intimidation and one called on Byrne to retract his allegation.[21]

At the 2024 general election, Byrne was re-elected to Parliament as MP for Liverpool West Derby with a decreased vote share of 66.6% and a decreased majority of 20,423.[28]

On 23 July 2024, Byrne, along with six other Labour MPs, had the whip withdrawn and was suspended from the Labour Party for six months for voting for a SNP amendment to end the two child benefit cap.[29][30]

Personal life

[edit]

Byrne is a supporter of Liverpool F.C. and a committee member of Liverpool supporters' union Spirit of Shankly.[31]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Members Sworn". Hansard.parliament.uk. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Byrne, Ian". Politics.co.uk. Retrieved 19 March 2021. 10 May 1972 comes up in searches
  3. ^ a b "Liverpool West Derby parliamentary constituency - Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  4. ^ Traynor, Luke (22 April 2020). "MP who survived Hillsborough backs new law for equal justice". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  5. ^ Byrne, Ian [@IanByrneMP] (12 November 2019). ""One of my proudest achievements..."" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ ""Only bold state intervention will see us through this crisis" – Ian Byrne's maiden speech". LabourList. 23 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Fans Supporting Foodbanks: "It's not charity, it's solidarity". This is Anfield. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  8. ^ "Heroic efforts in Liverpool creating vital PPE for the NHS and getting food to the needy". Liverpool Echo. 18 April 2020.
  9. ^ "Councillor details - Councillor Ian Byrne". councillors.liverpool.gov.uk. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  10. ^ "About". Ian Byrne MP official website.
  11. ^ Humphreys, David (8 April 2022). "Labour holds on after Liverpool City Council by-elections". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Ian Byrne narrowly wins Liverpool West Derby selection race". 3 November 2019.
  13. ^ "Labour candidate Ian Byrne shared abusive comments about female politicians". LBC.
  14. ^ "General Election: 'Sexist' Labour candidate 'should step down'". 8 November 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  15. ^ Sun, The (12 November 2019). "John McDonnell backs Labour candidate Ian Byrne despite homophobic slur". Head Topics.
  16. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 8749. General Election 2019: results and analysis" (PDF). London: House of Commons Library. 28 January 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  17. ^ Byrne, Ian (2 March 2020). "From the Terraces to Westminster". Tribune. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  18. ^ "The mission to end food poverty that is starting on the streets of Liverpool". Liverpool Echo. 20 December 2020.
  19. ^ "Liverpool's Ian Byrne named MP of the Year". 19 March 2022.
  20. ^ "MP of the Year Awards". 23 October 2012.
  21. ^ a b "West Derby MP says he will seek police advice over intimidation". BBC News. 14 November 2022.
  22. ^ "Liverpool Labour MP Ian Byrne faces reselection battle". BBC News. 14 October 2022.
  23. ^ Byrne, Ian [@IanByrneMP] (13 October 2022). "I have been informed by the Labour Party that I have been 'triggered' and than an open contest to select the labour candidate to represent West Derby at the next General Election will begin imminently" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  24. ^ "Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne facing fight to keep seat". 13 October 2022.
  25. ^ Thorp, Liam (18 October 2022). "Burnham and Rotheram back Ian Byrne in West Derby seat FIGHT". Liverpool Echo.
  26. ^ Thorp, Liam (27 July 2022). "Liverpool MP Ian Byrne raises concerns about reselection process". Liverpool Echo.
  27. ^ Thorp, Liam (7 November 2022). "Byrne considers legal action over West Derby reselection process". Liverpool Echo.
  28. ^ Liverpool West Derby
  29. ^ "Labour suspends seven rebel MPs over two-child benefit cap". BBC News. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  30. ^ "Labour suspends seven rebels who voted to scrap two-child benefit cap". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  31. ^ Thorp, Liam (13 September 2019). "Liverpool fans urged to show support for fan culture at Anfield on Saturday as trademark row rumbles on". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 11 February 2020.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Liverpool West Derby
2019–present 		Incumbent
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