Matt Turmaine

Matthew Robert Turmaine is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Watford since the 2024 general election. He was previously the Watford Borough Councillor for Holywell ward from 2012 until his election to Parliament.

Early and personal life
Matthew Robert Turmaine was born at Amersham Hospital in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. Before his election to Parliament, he worked in health and social care. He also previously worked for the BBC for 15 years. Turmaine is a member of the Unison trade union.

Political career
Turmaine joined the Labour Party in 2004, whilst living in London. After moving to Watford in 2011, he stood as the Labour Party candidate for Holywell ward in the 2012 Watford Borough Council election, where he gained the seat from the Liberal Democrats with a majority of 710 votes. In the 2015 general election, Turmaine was selected as the Labour parliamentary candidate for Watford, a historical Bellwether seat, where he finished in second place below the incumbent Richard Harrington of the Conservative Party. In both the 2016 and 2018 council elections, he retained his Holywell seat with an increased majority.

In the 2019 general election, Turmaine was selected as the Labour parliamentary candidate for his home seat of Chesham and Amersham, where he finished third below the Liberal Democrat candidate and the Conservative incumbent Cheryl Gillan. He then held his Holywell seat in the 2022 council election with a reduced majority. In July 2022, Turmaine was again selected as the Labour parliamentary candidate for Watford. Throughout the 2024 election campaign, Turmaine pledged to reduce the tax burden on Watford families and waiting times at Watford General Hospital as well as recruiting more teachers to Watford schools, in line with the Labour Party manifesto. He was elected as the MP for Watford in the 2024 general election, defeating the Conservative incumbent Dean Russell with a majority of 4,723 votes. In his victory speech, Turmaine thanked the people of Watford for putting their trust in him.