Liz Twist

Mary Elizabeth Twist[1] (born 10 July 1956) is a British Labour Party politician.[2] She has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Blaydon since the 2017 general election. Before her parliamentary career, she was the head of health in the North-East for the trade union, UNISON, and a local councillor.

Liz Twist
MP
Official portrait, 2017
Shadow Minister for Scotland
In office
4 December 2021 – 5 September 2023
LeaderKeir Starmer
Preceded byChris Elmore
Succeeded byGerald Jones
Shadow Lord Commissioner of HM Household
In office
12 February 2020 – 5 September 2023
LeaderJeremy Corbyn
Keir Starmer
Preceded byPosition established
Member of Parliament
for Blaydon
Assumed office
8 June 2017
Preceded byDavid Anderson
Majority5,531 (12.1%)
Personal details
Born
Mary Elizabeth Twist

(1956-07-10) 10 July 1956
St Helens, Lancashire, England
Political partyLabour
Spouse
Charlie Dix
​
​
(m. 1983; died 2000)​
EducationNotre Dame High School
Alma materAberystwyth University
Websiteliztwist.co.uk

Early life and career

Twist was born in July 1956 in St Helens, Lancashire.[3] She attended the Notre Dame High School (now De La Salle School, St Helens) and studied at Aberystwyth University. Twist worked as a local government archivist.[4] She worked as a trade union official for UNISON and became their head of health in the North-East.[5]

She credits her grandfather's activism in the National Union of Mineworkers as her inspiration to enter politics.[6]

Political career

Twist was elected as a Labour Party councillor for Ryton, Crookhill & Stella ward in the Gateshead Council in 2012.[7] She was the cabinet member for housing on the council.[8] Twist was re-elected in 2016.[9]

She was elected as MP for Blaydon in the 2017 general election with a majority of 13,477 (28.0%) votes.[10] The seat has been represented by a Labour MP since 1935. Twist had worked in the constituency office of the previous MP David Anderson who chose to stand down for personal and health reasons.[6][11] In parliament, she sits on the Commons Select Committee on Standards, and the Commons Select Committee of Privileges since February 2019. Twist was a member of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee between September 2017 and May 2019.[12]

Twist supported the United Kingdom (UK) remaining within the European Union (EU) in the 2016 UK EU membership referendum. In the indicative votes on 27 March 2019, she voted for a referendum on a Brexit withdrawal agreement, for the Norway-plus model, and for a customs union with the EU.[13]

She supported Emily Thornberry in the 2020 Labour Party leadership election.[14]

She was appointed Shadow Scotland Minister in the November 2021 British shadow cabinet reshuffle.[15] In the 2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle she returned to the backbenches.[16]

Personal life

She is a widow. Twist disclosed in her maiden parliamentary speech in 2017 that her husband had died of suicide, and called for action on suicide prevention.[17] She volunteers for the charity Samaritans.[18] She lives in Ryton in her constituency.[19]

References
  1. "No. 61961". The London Gazette. 19 June 2017. p. 11778.
  2. The Times guide to the House of Commons 2017. Ian Brunskill. London. 2017. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-00-826333-1. OCLC 1024165015.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. Dale, Iain; Smith, Jacqui (14 November 2019). The Honourable Ladies: Volume II: Profiles of Women MPs 1997–2019. Biteback Publishing. p. 807. ISBN 978-1-78590-447-9.
  4. "Who Runs the North East Now? Governance and Governing in an English Region" (PDF). St Chad's College, Durham. p. 26.
  5. "Union attacks private phones hospital plan". The Northern Echo. 25 May 2002. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  6. Carr, Tim; Dale, Iain; Waller, Robert (7 September 2017). The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2017. Biteback Publishing. pp. 409–410. ISBN 978-1-78590-278-9.
  7. "Local election results 2012". Gateshead Council. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  8. "Here & Now Winter 2016" (PDF). Gateshead Housing. p. 2.
  9. "Local election results 2016". Gateshead Council. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  10. "Blaydon". parliament.uk. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  11. Graham, Hannah (9 June 2017). "Blaydon constituency General Election results 2017: Full standings, MP and reaction". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  12. "Liz Twist MP". parliament.uk. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  13. "How MPs voted on May's withdrawal deal defeat". Financial Times. 29 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019.
  14. "Rolling list: MP/MEP nominations for Labour leadership candidates". LabourList. 8 January 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
  15. Rodgers, Sienna (4 December 2021). "Keir Starmer unveils new frontbench team after wider reshuffle". LabourList. Retrieved 7 December 2021.
  16. Jones, Tom Belger, Morgan (4 September 2023). "Labour reshuffle news: Full shadow cabinet and frontbench as shakeup unfolds". LabourList. Retrieved 11 September 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. "New MP Liz Twist says her husband committed suicide as she calls for action to reduce deaths". Chronicle Live. 20 July 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  18. ""It's so important to talk": MP who lost husband to suicide urges everyone to open up". Chronicle Live. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  19. "Retail Sector".
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