Tom Gordon (British politician)

Thomas Anthony Gordon is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has served as the Member of Parliament for Harrogate and Knaresborough since 2024.

Early life and career
Thomas Anthony Gordon was born and raised in Knottingley. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry at Newcastle University. He went on to study for a master's degree in public health (MPH) also at Newcastle, which he completed part-time due to his mother's battle with breast cancer, which he says inspired his entry into politics. His mother, Adele Hayes, is a councillor for Knottingley on Wakefield Council.

Before entering Parliament, Gordon worked in the scientific recruitment and health services research sector, as well as policy roles in the charitable sector, including for the Carers Trust, and as a researcher for a member of the European Parliament.

Political career
While at university, he was elected as a councillor for Manor Park on Newcastle City Council in 2018, serving for one year. Afterwards, he returned to Knottingley after taking a job at the University of York and stood for election in Knottingley on Wakefield Council, achieving a 54.2-per-cent swing from Labour and becoming the first Liberal Democrat elected to Wakefield Council since 2011. Subsequently, he became one of Yorkshire's youngest council group leaders.

He was chosen as the Liberal Democrats' candidate for the 2021 Batley and Spen by-election, after the initial candidate Jo Conchie withdrew due to health reasons. He had previously stood as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford at the 2019 United Kingdom general election. Gordon was chosen as the party's candidate for the constituency of Harrogate and Knaresborough, which he won with 23,976 votes (46.1 per cent) at the 2024 general election.

Personal life
Gordon is gay. He is also a keen badminton player and runner, regularly participating in Parkrun events, and had completed more than a dozen long distance charity runs, including marathons in Paris and Berlin, to raise money for charity.