Paul Waugh

Last updated

Paul Waugh
MP
Official portrait of Paul Waugh MP 2024 crop 2.jpg
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Rochdale
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024

Paul Waugh (born 1966 or 1967) is a British politician and journalist who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Rochdale since 2024. Running under the Labour Co-op banner, he unseated George Galloway, the sole MP from the Workers Party of Britain, who had held the seat since a by-election five months earlier, on 29 February.

Contents

Early life and education

Waugh was born in Wardle, Lancashire and raised on a council estate in Spotland, Rochdale. [2] Educated at Oulder Hill Community School, he later studied philosophy and physiology at the University of Oxford and journalism at the University of Cardiff. [3]

Journalism career

Waugh has been political editor of HuffPost UK , editor of PoliticsHome and deputy political editor of The Independent , as well as the London Evening Standard . He also worked for the i newspaper and presented the Week in Westminster for the BBC. [4] [5] [6]

Political career

Waugh had put himself forward to be the Labour candidate for the 2024 Rochdale by-election but lost the nomination to Azhar Ali, who in turn was suspended from the party. [7] [8] Waugh's wife works for the National Health Service, and he has said potential improvement of the health system was one of the major motivating factors in running for Parliament. [9] In the 2024 general election, he was elected as the Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for Rochdale. [10] [9] Waugh was critical of its previous MP George Galloway, labelling him as "Putin's parrot" and an extremist. [9]

Following his election to Parliament, Waugh was elected to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. [11] [12]

References

  1. ↑ Craig, Jon (27 January 2024). "Falling by the Waugh-side – former journalist fails to clinch chance to be MP". Sky News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  2. ↑ "Rochdale Development Agency". Rochdale Development Agency. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  3. ↑ "Real Rochdale Summer 2021: Paul Waugh: From Rochdale to Westminster". www.realrochdale.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  4. ↑ "Journalist Paul Waugh to stand as Labour candidate in Rochdale". www.rochdaleonline.co.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  5. ↑ O'Neill, Laura (29 May 2024). "Rochdale: Political journalist Paul Waugh vies to become Labour MP". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  6. ↑ "Paul Waugh to fight Rochdale seat for Labour". The Spectator. 30 May 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  7. ↑ Ahmed, Jabed (5 July 2024). "George Galloway loses Rochdale seat to Labour four months after by-election win" . Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  8. ↑ Robson, Steve (27 January 2024). "Paul Waugh loses out in bid to stand as new Labour MP for Rochdale". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  9. 1 2 3 Davenport, Hannah (30 May 2024). "Who is Paul Waugh, the Labour candidate chosen to take on George Galloway in Rochdale?". Left Foot Forward. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  10. ↑ "Rochdale – General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  11. ↑ Newbould, Chris (29 October 2024). "Rochdale MP, former HuffPost/Indie journo and Radio 4 host Waugh among new faces on culture, media and sport committee". Prolific North. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  12. ↑ "Full Culture, Media and Sport Committee revealed". Arts Professional. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Rochdale
2024–present		Incumbent
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