Local political career
Vickers stood for election in the Norton West ward on the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council in 2007 and 2011 losing to Labour Party candidates Ann and Dick Cains [9] and David and Norma Wilburn respectively. [10] 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. [11]
Between 2009 and 2019,he was the constituency agent for Richmond (Yorks). Vickers initially worked with William Hague. Following Hague's retirement,Vickers helped to run Rishi Sunak's successful general election campaigns in 2015 and 2017. [12]
Vickers stood as the Conservative candidate for Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner in 2016 losing to Barry Coppinger after the second preference votes were counted with a 37.9% vote share. [13] [14]
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. [15] 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. Confirmed recipients included Teesside Dementia Link Services [16] ,Don War Memorial Bar and the Moses Project,whose representatives wrote a letter in support of Mr Vickers in August 2020,arguing that 'since being elected,Matt Vickers has proved to be an immensely active and supportive MP',and criticising 'the coverage of a recent council meeting where negative comments were reported about local MP,Matt Vickers'. [17] At the time of his departure as a councillor,his allowance amounted to a minimum of £9,300 per year. [18] [19]
Parliamentary career
He was elected as MP for Stockton South at the 2019 general election with a majority of 5,260. The seat had previously been held by Labour's Paul Williams. [20] Vickers has served on a number of House of Commons Select Committees,including the Levelling Up,Housing and Communities Committee [21] ,the Home Affairs Select Committee,the Justice Select Committee,the Petitions Committee and the Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union Committee [21] .
In June 2022,Vickers was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Home Office ministerial team,alongside Luke Evans. [22] . A month later,he was promoted to Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party. [23] ,serving in the role until 2024. Following the 2024 General Election,Vickers was appointed Shadow Shadow Minister of State for Crime,Policing and Fire. [24]
In Parliament,Matt Vickers has served as the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Retail. [25] In 2023,Vickers led a campaign with the backing of over 39 other MPs to ask the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to extend 75% Business Rates Relief for retail,hospitality and leisure businesses. [26] [27] The campaign was successful,with Hunt announcing a year long extension in the November 2023 United Kingdom autumn statement, [28] praising Vickers for his 'tenacious campaigning on this issue'. [29]
Vickers been vocal on animal welfare issues. In July 2021,he led a debate in Westminster Hall on the protection of hedgehogs,arguing for urgent action following the loss of half the rural population of hedgehogs over two decades. [30] In 2022,Vickers also led a debate on ending cages for farmed animals,following a Parliamentary Petition signed by almost 110,000 people,arguing that "Great British Farmers already ensure our animals are kept to the highest of international standards and now we must work with them to strive for even better care." [31] Vickers also lobbied government in favour of the Pet Abduction Act,which was later introduced by Conservative MP Anna Firth. The Bill became law in August 2024. [32] Vickers also served on the Glue Traps (Offences) Bill Commons Committee. [33]
Vickers has campaigned extensively on protecting for shop workers and retail staff from assault,including campaigning to make assaulting a retail worker to be made a standalone criminal offence. In 2022,following a rebellion in which 36 MPs signed Vickers' amendment to the Police,Crime,Sentencing and Courts Act 2022,the Secretary of State for Justice pledged 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". [34] [35] In 2024,Vickers was praised by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for his "longstanding campaigning on the issue" when the government announced the standalone criminal offence,with perpetrators sent to prison for up to 6 months,given an unlimited fine and banned from going back to the shop where they committed their crimes. [36]
On 19 November 2020,Vickers backed the home secretary,Priti Patel,after a Cabinet Office inquiry found evidence that Patel had breached the ministerial code following bullying allegations,publicly supporting Patel:"[Patel] is one of the most hardworking Home Secretaries this country has had." [37]
Vickers,along with 22 other MPs,wrote to Attorney General Suella Braverman in August 2020 requesting that the killing of police officer Andrew Harper case,where the perpetrators were convicted of manslaughter,be referred to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme as he supported a life imprisonment. [38]
On 27 September 2021,Vickers wrote a letter to the House of Commons director of catering requesting that the Teesside dish the chicken Parmo be added to the menu. After a successful campaign,the Parmo was added to the menu for a short period of time. [39]
In June 2022,during the vote of no confidence in the Conservative Party leadership of Boris Johnson,Vickers publicly supported Johnson. [40]
Vickers led a debate in the House of Commons for 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. [41] [42]
In the 2024 general election,he was elected in Stockton West as the only Conservative MP in North East England. [43]
In January 2025,Vickers was criticised in the House of Commons,in a point of order,by Stockton North MP Chris McDonald for using social media to link local councillors to paedophiles,after they voted for a targeted inquiry into grooming gangs,rather than a national inquiry proposed by Conservative councillors. [44] As a result of the social media post by Matt Vickers,local councillors were called paedophiles by members of the public,harassed in their own homes,and were verbally assaulted. Local councillors voiced fear that physical harm would come to one of them. [45]
