Al Pinkerton

Al Pinkerton
MP
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Surrey Heath
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byMichael Gove
Majority5,640 (11.8%)
Liberal Democrat portfolios
2024–presentNorthern Ireland
Personal details
Born
Alasdair Douglas Pinkerton

Scotland
Political partyLiberal Democrats
Children2
Alma mater
Occupation
  • Academic
  • politician
Websitepinkerton.vote

Alasdair Douglas Pinkerton[1] is a British Liberal Democrat politician and academic who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Surrey Heath since 2024. He has been an associate professor in geopolitics at Royal Holloway, University of London.

Pinkerton currently sits on the Liberal Democrat frontbench team as the Spokesman for Northern Ireland.

Early life and academic career

Pinkerton was born and grew up in Scotland. He graduated with a degree in geography from the University of St Andrews in 2001, and was an HMO landlord for a property in St Andrews between 2001 and 2005.[2] In 2006, he completed a PhD in geopolitics at Royal Holloway, University of London, under the supervision of Klaus Dodds, exploring the emergence of the BBC Empire Service in the 1930s.[3][4]

Since 2009, Pinkerton has worked as an academic at Royal Holloway. At the time of his election to Parliament in 2024, he was a reader (associate professor) of geopolitics.[5][6] He served as an accredited observer of the 2013 Falkland Islands sovereignty referendum, and has conducted research in regions affected by international disputes and geopolitical tensions.[3][7]

Political career

Pinkerton first sought election to Parliament as a Liberal Democrat in the 2019 general election for Surrey Heath, finishing in second place behind the incumbent Conservative MP, Michael Gove.[8] He spent the next five years pursuing Surrey Heath for the Liberal Democrats.[9] The party took control of Surrey Heath Borough Council in 2023, for the first time in the borough's history.[10]

In the 2024 general election, Pinkerton was elected as MP for Surrey Heath with 44.8 per cent of the vote and a majority of 5,640.[11] He became the first non-Conservative MP to represent the area in 118 years.[12]

On 18 September 2024, Ed Davey announced his new Frontbench Team. Al Pinkerton became Spokesperson for Northern Ireland within the team.[13]

Published works

  • Dodds, Klaus; Pinkerton, Alasdair (October 2013). "The Falkland Islands referendum 2013". Polar Record. 49 (4): 413–416. Bibcode:2013PoRec..49..413D. doi:10.1017/S0032247413000326. ISSN 0032-2474.
  • Adey, Peter; Bowstead, Janet C.; Brickell, Katherine; Desai, Vandana; Dolton, Mike; Pinkerton, Alasdair; Siddiqi, Ayesha, eds. (2020). The Handbook of Displacement. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-47178-1. ISBN 978-3-030-47177-4.

References

  1. ^ "No. 64465". The London Gazette. 22 July 2024. p. 14086.
  2. ^ "HMO Public Register" (PDF). Fife Council. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Meet Al". Surrey Heath Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  4. ^ van Efferink, Leonhardt (5 December 2012). "Alasdair Pinkerton: Media geopolitics, BBC Radio, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter". Exploring Geopolitics. Retrieved 5 December 2012.
  5. ^ "Alasdair Pinkerton". Royal Holloway Research Portal. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Maiden speech: Al Pinkerton MP for Surrey Heath". Liberal Democrat Voice. 26 July 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Alasdair Pinkerton". The Conversation. 4 August 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Surrey Heath parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  9. ^ Balls, Katy (22 June 2024). "Meet Surrey's 'M&S movers'". The Spectator. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  10. ^ Dale, Bob (5 May 2023). "Surrey election results 2023: Conservatives lose seats across the county". BBC News. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Surrey Heath | General Election 2024". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-07-05.
  12. ^ Searle, Rob (5 July 2024). "Liberal Democrat Al Pinkerton makes history in Surrey Heath". Woking News & Mail. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  13. ^ Self, Josh (18 September 2024). "Ed Davey unveils new Liberal Democrat frontbench". Politics.co.uk. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
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