British Labour politician
Ruth Ashley Charman Dalton (born 15 August)
[2] is a British
Labour Party politician and former community worker who has served as
Member of Parliament (MP) for
West Lancashire since the
2023 West Lancashire by-election , succeeding
Rosie Cooper .
[3]
Early life, education and career
Ruth Ashley Charman Dalton
[4] was raised in
Leyland ,
South Ribble , in
Lancashire .
[5] Her father worked on the factory floor at
Leyland Motors , and later set up his own business as a nurseryman.
[6] She became aware of the
Labour Party at the age of 14, when a customer ordered 40 red rose buttonholes for a by-election count from her father's
florist's shop, and joined the party while at university.
[7]
She attended
All Hallows Catholic High School in
Penwortham (1983–1988) and
Preston College (1989–1991), and obtained a BA in English and politics (1996) and a
DipHE in professional development (voluntary sector) (1997) from
Middlesex University .
[8]
Dalton worked for
Southend-on-Sea Council for 17 years,
[9] and at the time of her selection she worked part-time for a Lancashire charity.
[6]
Political career
Dalton was Labour's candidate in
Rochford and Southend East in the
2017 and
2019 general elections.
[9]
She was selected on 9 October 2022 as Labour's candidate in the
West Lancashire by-election .
[10] The by-election was triggered by the resignation of
Rosie Cooper .
[11] Dalton was elected MP with 14,068 votes (62.3%).
[12] In her victory speech, Dalton called for a general election.
[13]
Dalton took her oath of office on Monday 20 February.
[14] She signed an
early day motion welcoming the investigation into the
2022 UEFA Champions League final chaos on the same day.
[15] She was a
guest at the
coronation of Charles III and Camilla .
[16]
In the House of Commons she is Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities on the
Opposition frontbench of Keir Starmer .
[17]
Dalton is a member of
Labour Friends of Israel .
[18]
Personal life
Dalton is a survivor of
breast cancer .
[19] She is a parent and a carer.
[20] Her ex-husband died of
kidney cancer .
[21]
She identifies as
LGBT ,
[22]
[23] and has called herself "a gay woman".
[24]
References
^
"Dissolution of Parliament - UK Parliament" . UK Parliament . Retrieved 30 May 2024 .
^
https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/welcome-home-rishi-sunak/
^ Brown, Faye (10 February 2023).
"West Lancashire by-election: Labour hold onto seat" .
Sky News . Retrieved 10 February 2023 .
^
"Statement of persons nominated ... Election of a Member of Parliament for West Lancashire" (PDF) . Acting Returning Officer. 13 January 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023 .
^ Bugel, Safi (8 February 2023).
"West Lancashire byelection: Labour odds-on favourite to hold seat" .
The Guardian .
ISSN
0261-3077 . Retrieved 9 February 2023 .
^
a
b Barre, Claire (12 October 2022).
"Labour Party's 'surprise' candidate for crunch West Lancashire by-election dubbed 'referendum on fracking' " . LancsLive . Retrieved 9 February 2023 .
^ Bugel, Safi (10 February 2023).
"Labour wins West Lancashire byelection with 10% swing" . The Guardian . Retrieved 10 February 2023 .
^
"Ashley Dalton" . LinkedIn . Retrieved 9 February 2023 .
^
a
b Neame, Katie (9 February 2023).
"Voters head to the polls in West Lancashire to select their next MP" . LabourList . Retrieved 9 February 2023 .
^ Williams, Olivia (9 October 2022).
"Labour candidate announced for West Lancashire by-election" .
Liverpool Echo . Retrieved 9 February 2023 .
^ Smyth, Mairead (5 February 2023).
"West Lancashire by-election: Candidates step up battle for votes" .
BBC News . Retrieved 9 February 2023 .
^ Penna, Dominic (10 February 2023).
"Labour secures comfortable win in West Lancashire byelection" .
The Daily Telegraph .
ISSN
0307-1235 . Retrieved 10 February 2023 .
^ The Independent.
"Labour's West Lancashire by-election winner Ashley Dalton takes aim at Tories" . YouTube . Retrieved 10 February 2023 .
^ Wheeler, Richard.
"Labour MPs cheer the arrival of their newest Commons colleague" . Irish News . Retrieved 21 February 2023 .
^
"2022 Champions League Final and Liverpool Football Club supporters" . UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 February 2023 .
^ Torrance, David (25 October 2023).
"House of Commons Library: Research Briefing Number CBP 9789 - The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla" (PDF) . UK Parliament . Retrieved 31 October 2023 .
^
"Ashley Dalton MP, Labour Women's Network Committee" . Labour Women's Network . Retrieved 19 January 2024 .
^
"LFI Parliamentary Supporters" . Labour Friends of Israel . Retrieved 11 February 2024 .
^ Berrill, Lewis (1 October 2021).
"Ashley Dalton calls for improved cancer screening access" . Echo . Retrieved 9 February 2023 .
^
"Why I'm Standing" . Ashley Dalton for West Lancashire . Archived from
the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023 .
^
Dalton, Ashley [@Ashley__Dalton] (13 May 2022).
"My late ex husband ..." (
Tweet ). Retrieved 10 February 2023 – via
Twitter .
^
Dalton, Ashley [@Ashley__Dalton] (7 August 2021).
"I'm standing for election ..." (
Tweet ). Retrieved 10 February 2023 – via
Twitter . I'm a passionate feminist and LGBT woman
^ Edwards, Peter (11 December 2017).
"LGBT Labour campaigner picked to take on Tory banker in Essex target seat" . LabourList . Retrieved 10 February 2023 .
^ Bugel, Safi (9 February 2023).
"Polls close in West Lancashire byelection" . The Guardian . Retrieved 10 February 2023 .
External links