Jonathan Brash

Last updated
Jonathan Brash
MP
Official portrait of Jonathan Brash MP crop 2.jpg
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Hartlepool
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024

Jonathan James Frederick Brash [1] is a British Labour Party politician and former private school teacher who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Hartlepool since 2024. He gained the seat from Jill Mortimer, a Conservative. [2] He is a member of the Blue Labour caucus of Labour MPs. [3]

Contents

Early career

Brash was Head of Psychology at the Independent Yarm School. He also taught at Newcastle School for Boys and was the Chairman of Hartlepool Sixth Form College. [4]

Political career

In 2006, Brash became councillor for the Burn Valley ward in Hartlepool. He later left the Labour Party to become an Independent Councillor, [5] and stood down from the Council in 2016. Brash returned to the same role of councillor for the Labour Party in 2021. [6]

In the 2024 general election, Brash was elected as MP of Hartlepool. He received 46.2% of the vote and gained the seat from Jill Mortimer. [7]

On 11 August 2024, Brash announced that he was going to stand down as councillor so that he could focus on the role of MP. In a statement, he said: "Being an MP is a full-time job and now that the dust has settled on last month’s General Election, it’s the right time to step down as a councillor." [8]

In November 2024, Brash voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which proposes to legalise assisted suicide. [9] In Parliament, Brash Chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group's on Swimming and Council Tax Reform. [10] An article reported that Brash was accused of calling a constituent “a coward” in an online exchange. [11]

In June 2025, Brash joined over 120 fellow Labour MPs in signing a reasoned amendment to the Government's controversial welfare reform bill, [12] citing concerns that the bill would knowingly push many into poverty. [13] The government went on to abandon parts of the proposal as a result of the impending rebellion. [14]

Personal life

Brash is married to Pamela. [15] He is a fan of Hartlepool United. [16]

References

  1. ↑ "General Election 2024 - Hartlepool result". Hartlepool Borough Council. 2024-07-04. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  2. ↑ "Hartlepool | General Election 2024 | Sky News". election.news.sky.com. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  3. ↑ Rodgers, Sienna; Scotson, Tom (1 February 2025). "Blue Labour v Reform: The Pro-Worker, Anti-Woke Plan To Beat Farage". PoliticsHome. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
  4. ↑ "Who are Teesside's would-be Labour MPs?". North East Bylines. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  5. ↑ "Councillors by Name". Hartlepool Borough Council. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Who are Teesside's would-be Labour MPs?". North East Bylines. 7 August 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  7. ↑ "Hartlepool | General Election 2024 | Sky News". election.news.sky.com. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  8. ↑ "MP steps down as councillor to focus on 'full-time' job". BBC. 11 August 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  9. ↑ "Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Second Reading". Votes in Parliament. 29 November 2024.
  10. ↑ "Jonathan Brash: APPG officer roles Second". UK Parliament. 18 February 2025.
  11. ↑ "Another Social Media Row Erupts as Labour MP Jonathan Brash Accused of Calling Resident "a Coward": Full newspaper post".
  12. ↑ "Welfare reform bill: Full text of reasoned amendment and list of rebel Labour MPS".
  13. ↑ https://x.com/JonathanBrash/status/1937414090579742818
  14. ↑ "Starmer climbs down on disability benefits cuts after rebellion by Labour MPs". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
  15. ↑ "My Story".
  16. ↑ "Debate between Jonathan Brash and Christopher Chope". Parallel Parliament. 22 July 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
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