{{Short description|British Liberal Democrat politician and former MP}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Gordon Birtwistle | image = Gordon Birtwistle pre-MP at Birmingham 2010.jpg | honorific_suffix = |office = Member of [[Burnley Borough Council]] |constituency = Coalclough with Deerplay |term_start = 2 May 2002 |term_end = |predecessor = |successor = | office1 = [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] to <br /> the [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]] | prime_minister1 = [[David Cameron]] | term_start1 = 12 May 2010 | term_end1 = 11 September 2012 | predecessor1 = | successor1 = [[Lorely Burt]] | office4 = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] <br /> for [[Burnley (UK Parliament constituency)|Burnley]] | term_start4 = 6 May 2010 | term_end4 = 30 March 2015 | predecessor4 = [[Kitty Ussher]] | successor4 = [[Julie Cooper (politician)|Julie Cooper]] | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1943|09|06|df=yes}}<ref name=BBC>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/38423.stm |title=Gordon Birtwistle MP |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Democracy Live |access-date=25 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804065848/http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/38423.stm |archive-date=4 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | birth_place = [[Oswaldtwistle]], [[Lancashire]], England | spouse = | party = [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] {{small|(until 1982)}}<br/>[[Social Democratic Party (UK)|SDP]] {{small|(1982–88)}}<br/>[[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] {{small|(since 1988)}} | alma_mater = | caption = Birtwistle in 2010 }} '''Gordon Birtwistle''' (born 6 September 1943) is a British [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] [[politician]] and former MP. He was the [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for the [[constituency]] of [[Burnley (UK Parliament constituency)|Burnley]], England, from May 2010 to May 2015. He was [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] to [[Danny Alexander]], [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]] from 2010 to 2012.<ref name=BBC/><ref name=DeptLeader/> From 2013, he was Government Apprenticeship Ambassador to Business.
==Career== Birtwistle began work as a craft engineering apprentice in 1958, with [[Howard & Bullough]], who were textile machinery manufacturers in [[Accrington]].<ref name=Ambassador/> He studied engineering at Accrington College on one day release and two nights a week and achieved two higher nationals, one in mechanical engineering and one in production engineering.
At the age of 21, he became a jig and tool draftsman with the same company, and stayed there until 1968, when he moved to [[Lucas Aerospace]] in [[Burnley]] as a machine shop methods engineer. He stayed there until aged 30, when he became a technical representative for ''Osborne Mushet Tools'' in [[Sheffield]], who were manufacturers of metal cutting tools.
After five years, he became a director of ''C&G Cutter Grinding Services'' in [[Blackburn]], named after its two founders Thomas Chew and William Gradwell. The company was sold in the mid-1980s, to a large engineering [[Public limited company|PLC]], whom he continued to work for. After four years, he set up P&J Engineering Supplies, buying and selling engineering tools.<ref name=Ambassador/> In the late 1990s, he bought Stewart Engineering (precision engineers) with a partner. This later folded, due to a bad debt in 2002. P&J is still in existence, however Birtwistle retired in 2008.
===Politics=== Birtwistle originally entered politics as a [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] councillor in the 1970s, representing [[Great Harwood]] on [[Lancashire County Council]].<ref name="WW">{{Who's Who | title = BIRTWISTLE, Gordon | id = U251454 | volume = 2024 | edition = online}}</ref><ref name=citizen>[http://www.blackburncitizen.co.uk/news/8159254.print/ Introducing East Lancashire's four new MPs (From Blackburn Citizen)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723032941/http://www.blackburncitizen.co.uk/news/8159254.print/ |date=23 July 2011 }}. ''Blackburncitizen.co.uk'' (11 May 2010). Retrieved on 4 February 2013.</ref> In 1982, he defected to the [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|Social Democratic Party]] (SDP),<ref>Anon. (17 November 2004). [https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5808828.ex-mayor-in-bid-to-be-mp/ "Ex mayor in bid to be MP"]. ''Lancashire Telegraph''. Retrieved 24 June 2024.</ref><ref>Chris Adams (8 January 2014). [https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10922175.burnley-mp-gordon-birtwistle-puts-name-forward-commons/ "Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle puts his name forward for Commons"]. ''Lancashire Telegraph''. Retrieved 24 June 2024.</ref> and was elected to represent Deerplay ward on [[Burnley Borough Council]] the following year.<ref>Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher. [https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Burnley-1973-2012.pdf "Burnley Borough Council Election Results, 1973-2012"]. ''electionscentre.co.uk.'' p. 5.</ref> In the late 1980s he led the council's [[SDP–Liberal Alliance|SDP/Liberal Group]], and from 2006 to 2010 was leader of the council itself.<ref name="WW"/> He was also Mayor of Burnley from 2002 to 2003.<ref name="WW"/> {{As of|2021}}, he remains a Liberal Democrat councillor for the borough's [[2014 Burnley Borough Council election#Coal Clough with Deerplay|Coal Clough with Deerplay ward]]. He was also a candidate in the [[2014 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election]].<ref name=DeptLeader/><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-13|title=Councillor details – Councillor Gordon Birtwistle|url=https://burnley.moderngov.co.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=128|access-date=2021-03-13|website=burnley.moderngov.co.uk|language=en}}</ref>
====MP==== Birtwistle took Burnley from Labour for the Liberal Democrats at the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]], with a 12% swing and 1,818 majority.<ref name=BBC/> The first non-Labour MP in the [[Burnley (UK Parliament constituency)|Burnley constituency]] since 1935, he had previously contested the seat in [[1992 United Kingdom general election|1992]], [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]] and [[2005 United Kingdom general election|2005]].<ref name=DeptLeader>{{cite news |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10922175.Burnley_MP_Gordon_Birtwistle_puts_his_name_forward_for_Commons/ |title=Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle puts his name forward for Commons |work=Lancashire Telegraph|date=8 January 2014 |author=Maghill, Peter |accessdate=15 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215232449/http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10922175.Burnley_MP_Gordon_Birtwistle_puts_his_name_forward_for_Commons/ |archive-date=15 February 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> He was the oldest new MP of the 2010 intake, aged 66.<ref name=PoliticsHome>{{citation |url=https://www.politicshome.com/articles/interview/gordon-birtwistle-one-man-industrial-revolution |title=Gordon Birtwistle: One man industrial revolution |publisher=PoliticsHome |date=8 March 2013 |accessdate=15 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150215150229/https://www.politicshome.com/articles/interview/gordon-birtwistle-one-man-industrial-revolution |archive-date=15 February 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> On election, his three main aims were returning the [[Emergency department|Accident and Emergency department]] to Burnley General Hospital; bringing new high-value jobs and firms to [[Burnley]]; and reinstating direct rail travel between Burnley and [[Manchester]].<ref name=citizen/>
A few weeks after his election, he was offered the role of [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] to [[Danny Alexander]], [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury]].<ref name=PoliticsHome/> He hosted a manufacturing summit for the North West region in Burnley in June 2011, which was opened by [[Vince Cable]] with a speech at the new £80 million [[Burnley College]] and [[University of Central Lancashire]] campus.<ref>[http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/business-news/business_secretary_vince_cable_outlines_key_to_burnley_s_future_1_3501894 Business Secretary Vince Cable outlines key to Burnley’s future – Business News] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110704053320/http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/business-news/business_secretary_vince_cable_outlines_key_to_burnley_s_future_1_3501894 |date=4 July 2011 }}. ''Burnley Express'' (21 June 2011). Retrieved on 4 February 2013.</ref> In October, it was announced that with government investment through the Regional Growth Fund, the planned direct rail link between Manchester and Burnley would proceed.
The project included the reinstatement of the [[Caldervale Line#Todmorden Curve|Todmorden Curve]], a five hundred metre stretch of track unused since the 1960s, and an upgrade to [[Burnley Manchester Road railway station]]. Birtwistle's successor as Burnley Council leader, Charlie Briggs, was reported as saying "Gordon Birtwistle has been an important influence as he been very active in pressing the case for this and a number of other economic development priorities". Projects to construct a new business park called "Burnley Bridge" and create the [[Visions Learning Trust]] [[University Technical College]] had also recently received funding.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/burnleypendlerossendale/9335117.Major_boost_as___9million_rail_link_cash_announced_for_Burnley/ |title=Major boost as £9million rail link cash announced for Burnley |author=Magill, Peter |date=31 October 2011 |work=Lancashire Telegraph|accessdate=19 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219235640/http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/burnleypendlerossendale/9335117.Major_boost_as___9million_rail_link_cash_announced_for_Burnley/ |archive-date=19 February 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>
In February 2012, Birtwistle became chairman of a new [[all-party parliamentary group]] dedicated to the advancement of [[apprenticeship]]s.<ref name=PoliticsHome/> In March, he wrote of his support for increasing the [[minimum wage]] and the introduction of the [[pupil premium]], and argued for measures to tackle [[tax avoidance]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/16/liberaldemocrats-budget-gordon-birtwistle |title=Time to tackle tax avoidance |author=Gordon Birtwistle |date=16 March 2012 |work=The Guardian|accessdate=19 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219212347/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/16/liberaldemocrats-budget-gordon-birtwistle |archive-date=19 February 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>
That October, he introduced a [[private members bill]] to the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|Commons]] demanding improved careers advice for 12 to 16-year-old students. Although the bill received cross-party support and was given an unopposed [[first reading]], it did not progress further.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/house_of_commons/newsid_9762000/9762225.stm |title=MP demands careers advice in schools from age 12 |publisher=BBC |work=BBC Democracy Live |date=23 October 2012 |access-date=11 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212025209/http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/house_of_commons/newsid_9762000/9762225.stm |archive-date=12 February 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=Services.parliament.uk |url=http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/careersadviceinschoolsfor1216yearolds.html |title=Careers Advice in Schools for 12-16 Year Olds Bill 2012-13 |date=23 October 2012 |accessdate=11 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212025400/http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/careersadviceinschoolsfor1216yearolds.html |archive-date=12 February 2015 }}</ref> In March 2013, he was appointed as Government Apprenticeship Ambassador to Business, a new role intended to raise the profile and prestige of apprenticeships.<ref name=Ambassador>[https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-government-ambassadors-created-to-promote-apprenticeships New government ambassadors created to promote apprenticeships] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120232931/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-government-ambassadors-created-to-promote-apprenticeships |date=20 January 2015 }} Government Digital Service – Press release, 14 March 2013</ref>
He was one of only a few Liberal Democrat MPs to oppose allowing [[Same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom|same sex couples to marry]], rebelling against his party in a number of Commons votes on the issue in 2013–14.<ref>[http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?id=uk.org.publicwhip/member/40132&showall=yes Voting Record – Gordon Birtwistle MP, Burnley] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190207130317/https://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?id=uk.org.publicwhip%2Fmember%2F40132&showall=yes |date=7 February 2019 }}, Public Whip</ref> He has been quoted as saying "[[Civil partnership in the United Kingdom|Civil partnerships]] are fine. Gay marriage is just not on". He also said "I have been against it right from the beginning because I believe that's the view of the vast majority of people in Burnley".<ref>[http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/12/17/lib-dem-mp-gordon-birtwistle-gay-marriage-is-just-not-on/ Lib Dem MP Gordon Birtwistle: ‘Gay marriage is just not on’] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203015444/http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/12/17/lib-dem-mp-gordon-birtwistle-gay-marriage-is-just-not-on/ |date=3 December 2013 }}, Pink News, 17 December 2012</ref><ref>[http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/burnley/10441929._Most_people_in_the_borough_oppose_gay_marriage__says_Burnley_MP/ 'Most people in the borough oppose gay marriage' says Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120212548/http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/burnley/10441929._Most_people_in_the_borough_oppose_gay_marriage__says_Burnley_MP/ |date=20 January 2015 }}, ''Lancashire Telegraph'', 24 May 2013</ref>
In 2014, Birtwistle called for fellow Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate [[Maajid Nawaz]] to be de-selected and his party membership cancelled, after he posted a controversial cartoon of Jesus and Muhammad on [[Twitter]].<ref>[https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/11020652.burnley-mps-anger-at-jesus-muhammad-cartoon/ 'Burnley MP's anger at Jesus-Muhammad cartoon'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191016074826/https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/11020652.burnley-mps-anger-at-jesus-muhammad-cartoon/ |date=16 October 2019 }}, ''Lancashire Telegraph'', 19 February 2014</ref>
At the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]], Birtwistle lost his seat to Labour's [[Julie Cooper (politician)|Julie Cooper]], who had also stood in 2010. However, the 6.2% swing away from Birtwistle was less than half the 15.2% national swing against his party. Birtwistle stood again in [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017]], but was unsuccessful, and fell behind the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]], into third place. In [[2019 United Kingdom general election|2019]], Birtwistle contested Burnley again. He remained in third place, but the Liberal Democrat constituency vote share declined again, falling to its lowest level since the party's formation in 1988. In [[2024 United Kingdom general election|2024]], Birtwistle contested Burnley for the eighth time. He moved up to 2nd place, getting 23.1% of the vote, an increase from 9% last time.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001142], "Burnley Results 2024 from the BBC", 7 July 2024</ref> If Birtwistle had won, he would have been the second oldest MP in the Commons, being two weeks and two days younger than [[Roger Gale]].
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} * [http://www.burnleylibdems.org.uk/ Burnley Liberal Democrats] * [http://www.libdems.org.uk/people_detail.aspx?name=Gordon_Birtwistle&pPK=c11f5929-c2a6-494c-b73f-6df8fdbaa520 Profile] at the Liberal Democrats * {{UK MP links | parliament = gordon-birtwistle/3946 | hansardcurr = 5525 | guardian = 9748/gordon-birtwistle | publicwhip = Gordon_Birtwistle | theywork = gordon_birtwistle | record = Gordon-Birtwistle/Burnley/1343 | bbc = 38423.stm | journalisted = }}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{s-bef|before=[[Kitty Ussher]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Burnley (UK Parliament constituency)|Burnley]]|years=[[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]]–[[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015]]}} {{s-aft|after=[[Julie Cooper (politician)|Julie Cooper]]}} {{s-end}}
{{2014 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birtwistle, Gordon}} [[Category:1943 births]] [[Category:Councillors in Lancashire]] [[Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Politics of Burnley]] [[Category:UK MPs 2010–2015]] [[Category:Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors]] [[Category:Leaders of local authorities of England]]