Alistair Strathern

Alistair Luke Strathern (born 5 March 1990) is a British Labour Party politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hitchin since the 2024 general election. He previously served as MP for Mid Bedfordshire after winning a by-election in 2023.

Early life and education
Alistair Luke Strathern was born on 5 March 1990, and grew up in Bedfordshire. He was educated at Sharnbrook Academy in Sharnbrook, before studying philosophy, politics and economics at St Anne's College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. While a student at Oxford, Strathern chaired the Oxford University Labour Club. While still at university, he stood in the 2010 Oxford City Council election for the ward of Holywell, finishing fourth.

Early career
After graduating, Strathern was employed by the Bank of England in regulating climate risk insurance. He had previously worked as a mathematics teacher. He was a Labour councillor for the ward of Higham Hill on Waltham Forest London Borough Council from 26 May 2014 until his resignation on 5 September 2023.

At Waltham Forest, Strathern held the post of "Cabinet Member for 15-Minute Neighbourhoods". Between 2014 and 2015, he was a director of Ascham Homes Limited, an arms-length management organisation that provided council housing in Waltham Forest.

Parliamentary career
At the 2023 Mid Bedfordshire by-election, Strathern was elected to Parliament as MP for Mid Bedfordshire with 34.1% of the vote and a majority of 1,192.

The Guardian described the result as "delivering a significant blow to Rishi Sunak's hopes of holding on to power at the 2024 general election". During the campaign, the i wrote of Strathern: "On the surface the 33-year-old seems dependable, almost old-fashioned. There's a whiff of corduroy about him. His manner is upbeat but a tad shy; as if he's fought hard to be socially confident".

In January 2024, Strathern was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to both the Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, and Shadow Climate Secretary, Ed Miliband. Later that month, he announced his intention to contest Hitchin at the 2024 general election, which would include his home in Shefford and other parts of Mid Bedfordshire due to boundary changes. In July 2024, Strathern was elected MP for Hitchin, beating incumbent Conservative MP Bim Afolami with a majority of 7,109.

Personal life
Strathern has taken part in protests organised by the environmental campaign group Greenpeace, including a stunt carried out in 2022 outside the Home Office by a group opposed to the Public Order Act. His involvement in the protest was revealed some months later, and sparked calls by the defence secretary Grant Shapps for his parliamentary candidacy to be withdrawn. A photograph of Strathern at the protest dressed as a zombie appeared on the front page of The Sun on 8 August 2023, under the headline "Wannabe Labour MP unmasked as 'zombie' Greenpeace zealot". Strathern stated that he does not regret the protest.

Strathern's partner is Megan Corton Scott, a political campaigner for Greenpeace. Strathern has a slight lisp, which has become less pronounced with age. He is a first cousin, once removed, of former Prime Minister Theresa May.

Strathern is a supporter of Aston Villa.