Gareth Snell | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2017 | |
| Member of Parliament forStoke-on-Trent Central | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Jo Gideon |
| Majority | 6,409 (18.2%) |
| In office 23 February 2017 – 6 November 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Tristram Hunt |
| Succeeded by | Jo Gideon |
| Leader ofNewcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council | |
| In office 16 May 2012 – 4 June 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Stephen Sweeney |
| Succeeded by | Mike Stubbs |
| Member ofNewcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council | |
| In office 4 August 2016 – 6 May 2018 | |
| Ward | Silverdale and Parksite |
| Preceded by | Eileen Braithwaite |
| Succeeded by | Ward abolished |
| In office 6 May 2010 – 22 May 2014 | |
| Ward | Knutton and Silverdale |
| Preceded by | Richard Gorton |
| Succeeded by | Derrick Huckfield |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gareth Craig Snell (1986-01-01)1 January 1986 (age 39) Stowmarket, England |
| Political party | Labour Co-op |
| Spouse | |
| Alma mater | Keele University |
| Website | www |
Gareth Craig Snell (born 1 January 1986) is a British politician who serves asMember of Parliament (MP) forStoke-on-Trent Central. He regained the seat at the2024 general election having represented it from 2017 to 2019. A member ofLabour Co-op, he was Leader ofNewcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council from 2012 to 2014.
Snell was educated atStowmarket High School inSuffolk,[1] and graduated fromKeele University in 2008 after studying History and Politics.[2]Snell served as general secretary of the Students' Union and founded Keele Labour Students.[3]
In May 2025, Snell married former Labour MP and life peerRuth Smeeth in Gibraltar.[4]
Snell unsuccessfully stood for election toNewcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council in2007 and 2008, but was finally elected to representKnutton andSilverdale ward inMay 2010.[5] He was elected as the Leader of the Council after Labour won a majority at the2012 local elections.[6] During his tenure, the council became a living wage employer, joined the Co-operative Council network and implemented a 'no redundancies' policy. Seeking re-election inChesterton ward, Snell's leadership came to an end upon narrowly losing to theUKIP candidate inMay 2014.[7][8] However, he returned as a councillor in a by-election for Silverdale and Parksite ward in August 2016, and served until his term expired inMay 2018.[9]
In January 2017, Snell was selected as the Labour Party candidate in theStoke-on-Trent Central by-election, triggered following the resignation ofTristram Hunt.[10] Held on 23 February, he won the seat with a reduced vote share but saw off a challenge from UKIP leaderPaul Nuttall.[11]
He was re-elected with a majority of nearly 4,000 in thegeneral election on 8 June 2017. This was an increase of the figure of 2,600 at the by-election, but compares to 20,000 from 1997.[12] Snell lost his seat in the2019 general election to ConservativeJo Gideon, predicting his defeat even before his result was announced onBBC television.[13]
Snell regained the seat in thegeneral election of July 2024. He received 14,950 votes, representing 42.4% share of the vote. His nearest rival received 8,541 votes.
Snell supported Remain in the2016 EU referendum,[14] but opposed a second referendum and supported an exit deal to avoid leaving without one.[15][16]
Between 2020 and 2021, Snell was campaign manager for theMember of Parliament (MP) forBirmingham Hodge Hill,Liam Byrne in the2021 West Midlands mayoral election, where Byrne lost. Snell was in charge of managing volunteers and staff, as well as coordinating messaging and fundraising.[17]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forStoke-on-Trent Central 2017–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Jo Gideon | Member of Parliament forStoke-on-Trent Central 2024–present | Incumbent |