Liz Twist | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2017 | |
| Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister | |
| In office 17 July 2024 – 7 September 2025 Serving with Chris Ward | |
| Prime Minister | Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Craig Williams |
| Succeeded by | Abena Oppong-Asare |
| Shadow Minister for Local Government and Services | |
| In office 27 November 2023 – 5 July 2024 | |
| Leader | Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Sarah Owen (Local Government and Faith) |
| Shadow Minister for Scotland | |
| In office 4 December 2021 – 5 September 2023 | |
| Leader | Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Chris Elmore |
| Succeeded by | Gerald Jones |
| Shadow Lord Commissioner of HM Household | |
| In office 12 February 2020 – 5 September 2023 | |
| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn Keir Starmer |
| Member of Parliament forBlaydon and Consett Blaydon (2017–2024) | |
| Assumed office 8 June 2017 | |
| Preceded by | David Anderson |
| Majority | 11,153 (26.4%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Mary Elizabeth Twist (1956-07-10)10 July 1956 (age 69) St Helens, Lancashire, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | |
| Residence(s) | Ryton, Tyne and Wear, England |
| Education | Notre Dame High School |
| Alma mater | Aberystwyth University |
| Website | liztwist |
Mary Elizabeth Twist[1] (born 10 July 1956) is a BritishLabour Party politician.[2] She served as theMember of Parliament (MP) forBlaydon from the2017 general election until the seat's abolition in 2024. She then stood for reelection during the2024 general election in the newly formed constituency ofBlaydon and Consett which she won. Before her parliamentary career, she was the head of health in the North-East for the trade union,UNISON, and a local councillor.
Twist was born in July 1956 inSt Helens, Lancashire.[3] She attended the Notre Dame High School (nowDe La Salle School, St Helens) and studied atAberystwyth University. Twist worked as a local government archivist.[4] She worked as a trade union official forUNISON and became their head of health in the North-East.[5]
She credits her grandfather's activism in theNational Union of Mineworkers as her inspiration to enter politics.[6]
Twist was elected as a Labour Party councillor for Ryton, Crookhill & Stella ward in the Gateshead Council in 2012.[7] She was the cabinet member for housing on the council.[8] Twist was re-elected in 2016.[9]
She was elected as MP forBlaydon in the2017 general election with a majority of 13,477 (28.0%) votes.[10] The seat has been represented by a Labour MP since 1935. Twist had worked in the constituency office of the previous MPDavid Anderson who chose to stand down for personal and health reasons.[6][11] In parliament, she sits on theCommons Select Committee on Standards, and theCommons Select Committee of Privileges since February 2019. Twist was a member of theHousing, Communities and Local Government Committee between September 2017 and May 2019.[12]
Twist supported the United Kingdom (UK) remaining within theEuropean Union (EU) in the2016 UK EU membership referendum. In the indicative votes on 27 March 2019, she voted fora referendum on a Brexit withdrawal agreement, for theNorway-plus model, and for a customs union with the EU.[13]
She supportedEmily Thornberry in the2020 Labour leadership election.[14]
She was appointed Shadow Scotland Minister in theNovember 2021 British shadow cabinet reshuffle.[15] In the2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle she returned to the backbenches.[16]
She returned to the frontbench on 27 November 2023 as Shadow Minister for Local Government and Services, after the previous Shadow Minister,Sarah Owen, resigned to vote against theLabour Party whip on a motion to back a ceasefire in Gaza.[17]
In the2024 general election, she successfully contested the newly named constituency ofBlaydon and Consett.[18]
In October 2024, Twist faced calls to resign from her post as chair of the board of trustees atAge UK Gateshead following government changes to theWinter Fuel Payment. These came after she voted in the Commons to support Reeves's fuel payment restrictions. One of the constituents said "Given she [Twist] is aNorth East MP, representing one of the poorest parts of the country, I feel it’s very hypocritical for her to hold this position and it's disappointing that she did not vote against the removal of the Winter Fuel Payment". Age UK said it was "advocating against the government's decision".[19] On 30 October 2024, Twist resigned, saying it was "because of the consistent pressure being placed on the charity by a number of people".[20]
She is a widow. Twist disclosed in her maiden parliamentary speech in 2017 that her husband had died of suicide, and called for action on suicide prevention.[21] She volunteers for the charitySamaritans.[22] She lives inRyton in her constituency.[23]
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| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forBlaydon 2017–2024 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forBlaydon and Consett 2024–present | Incumbent |
