Paul Waugh | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament forRochdale | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | George Galloway |
| Majority | 1,440 (3.5%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1966 or 1967 (age 59–60)[1] Wardle,Lancashire, England |
| Party | Labour Co-op |
| Alma mater | University of Oxford University of Cardiff |
| Occupation |
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Paul Waugh (born 1966 or 1967) is a British politician and journalist who has been theMember of Parliament (MP) forRochdale since2024. Running under theLabour Co-op banner, he unseatedGeorge Galloway, the sole MP from theWorkers Party of Britain, who had held the seat since a by-election five months earlier, on 29 February.
Waugh was born inWardle,Lancashire and raised on a council estate inSpotland, Rochdale.[2] Educated atOulder Hill Community School, he later studied philosophy and physiology at theUniversity of Oxford and journalism at theUniversity of Cardiff.[3]
Waugh has beenpolitical editor ofHuffPost UK, editor ofPoliticsHome and deputy political editor ofThe Independent, as well as the LondonEvening Standard. He also worked for thei newspaper and presented theWeek in Westminster for the BBC.[4][5][6]
Waugh had put himself forward to be theLabour candidate for the2024 Rochdale by-election but lost the nomination to Azhar Ali, who in turn was suspended from the party.[7][8] Waugh's wife works for theNational Health Service, and he has said potential improvement of the health system was one of the major motivating factors in running for Parliament.[9] In the2024 general election, he was elected as theLabour and Co-operative Member of Parliament forRochdale.[10][9] Waugh was critical of its previous MPGeorge Galloway, labelling him as "Putin's parrot" and an extremist.[9]
Following his election to Parliament, Waugh was elected to theCulture, Media and Sport Select Committee.[11][12]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forRochdale 2024–present | Incumbent |
