Mike Martin (British politician)

Last updated
Mike Martin
MP
Official portrait of Mike Martin MP crop 2.jpg
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Tunbridge Wells
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Website mike-martin.co.uk
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch/service British Army [a]
Years of service2004-2014
Rank Captain
Unit Royal Yeomanry
Intelligence Corps
Battles/wars War in Afghanistan
Academic background
Thesis War on its Head: An Oral History of the Helmandi Conflict 1978–2012  (2013)

Michael Peter Martin [1] is a British politician, author and former Army Reserve officer, who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Tunbridge Wells since 2024. A member of the Liberal Democrats, he gained the seat vacated by Greg Clark, the Conservative MP who stood down at the 2024 election. Martin identifies as pro-European, internationalist, "explicitly pro-green", and as being in favour of a strong stance on defence. [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Martin, who was privately educated, has an undergraduate degree in biological sciences from the University of Oxford [3] and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in war studies from King's College London, which he completed in 2013 with a thesis titled "War on its Head: An Oral History of the Helmandi Conflict 1978-2012". [4]

As of 2024, he is a senior visiting research fellow at King's College London. [3]

Military service

On 1 August 2004, Martin was commissioned into the General List of the Territorial Army as a second lieutenant (on probation). [5] On 26 November 2006, he transferred to the Royal Yeomanry. [6] His commission was confirmed on 26 November 2006 with seniority in the rank of second lieutenant from 26 November 2005. [7] He was promoted to lieutenant on 26 November 2007. [8] He was promoted to captain on 22 April 2010 with seniority from 15 June 2009. [9] He transferred to the Intelligence Corps on 19 August 2013. [10]

Martin served multiple tours in Helmand Province during the War in Afghanistan. [11] The Ministry of Defence (MOD) commissioned a book from him about the war, but he resigned from the British Army in 2014 after a dispute over the book so he could publish the critical account without interference from the MOD. [12]

Political career

In February 2023, Martin was selected to be the Liberal Democrat candidate for Tunbridge Wells. [13] In the 2024 general election, he was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Tunbridge Wells with 43.6 per cent of the vote and a majority of 8,687 over the second-placed Conservative candidate. [14] He was the first non-Conservative to win the constituency since it was first contested in February 1974.

Selected works

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References

  1. ↑ Territorial Army, later called the Army Reserve
  1. ↑ "No. 64465". The London Gazette . 22 July 2024. p. 14085.
  2. ↑ Boyd, Milo (2024-07-03). "Conservatives on brink of big loss in royal town once the heart of Tory Britain". The Mirror. Retrieved 2024-07-07.
  3. 1 2 "Dr Mike Martin". King's College London. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  4. ↑ Martin, Michael Peter (2013). War on its Head: An Oral History of the Helmandi Conflict 1978-2012 (PhD thesis). King's College London. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  5. ↑ "No. 57699". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 July 2005. p. 9016.
  6. ↑ "No. 58387". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 July 2007. p. 9905.
  7. ↑ "No. 59216". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 October 2009. p. 17989.
  8. ↑ "No. 59223". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 October 2009. p. 18435.
  9. ↑ "No. 59465". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 June 2010. p. 11697.
  10. ↑ "No. 60840". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 April 2014. p. 7614.
  11. ↑ "Mike Martin". Mike Martin. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  12. ↑ MacAskill, Ewen (9 April 2014). "Territorial Army captain resigns over Afghanistan book". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  13. ↑ "Lib Dem Mike Martin Bids to Become Local MP". Southborough News. 20 February 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  14. ↑ "Tunbridge Wells – General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
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