Simon Lightwood

Simon Robert Lightwood (born 15 December 1980) is a British Labour and Co-operative Party politician serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for Wakefield and Rothwell since 2024. From a 2022 by-election until 2024, he represented Wakefield. He has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport since July 2024, having previously been Shadow Minister for Local Transport from 2022 until 2024.

Early life and education
Lightwood was born in 1980 and grew up in South Shields. After his family home was repossessed when he was aged 13, he family was forced to live with his grandmother. Lightwood has a degree in theatre acting from Bretton Hall College and bought his first house in Wakefield.

Early career
Lightwood was a case worker for the former Wakefield MP Mary Creagh, between 2005 to 2009. He later worked for the National Health Service, and has served on the Labour Party's National Policy Forum as a Yorkshire representative. At the time of running for parliament, he was Head of Communications for Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust.

Parliamentary career
On 3 May 2022, Imran Ahmad Khan resigned as MP for Wakefield after being convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage boy, thus forcing a by-election. After Lightwood has been included on the shortlist for the Labour candidate, entire CLP executive committee (barring one externally appointed individual) walked out of the meeting. At final selection meeting on 15 May, there was a further substantial walkout of members, after which Lightwood was chosen as the official candidate. At the by-election held on 23 June 2022, Lightwood was elected as MP with a 4,925 majority.

At the 2022 Labour Party Conference, Lightwood was appointed Shadow Minister for Local Transport. Following the 2024 general election, he was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport alongside Mike Kane and Lilian Greenwood.

Personal life
Lightwood lives in Ossett within the Wakefield constituency with his husband, having pledged to move from his previous home in Calderdale to Wakefield following his election.