# Gordon Birtwistle

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British Liberal Democrat politician and former MP

Gordon Birtwistle Birtwistle in 2010 Member of Burnley Borough Council Incumbent Assumed office 2 May 2002 Constituency Coalclough with Deerplay Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury In office 12 May 2010 – 11 September 2012 Prime Minister David Cameron Succeeded by Lorely Burt Member of Parliament for Burnley In office 6 May 2010 – 30 March 2015 Preceded by Kitty Ussher Succeeded by Julie Cooper Personal details Born (1943-09-06) 6 September 1943 (age 82)[1] Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, England Party Labour (until 1982) SDP (1982–88) Liberal Democrats (since 1988)

**Gordon Birtwistle** (born 6 September 1943) is a British [Liberal Democrat](/source/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)) [politician](/source/Politician) and former MP. He was the [Member of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)) (MP) for the [constituency](/source/Constituency) of [Burnley](/source/Burnley_(UK_Parliament_constituency)), England, from May 2010 to May 2015. He was [Parliamentary Private Secretary](/source/Parliamentary_Private_Secretary) to [Danny Alexander](/source/Danny_Alexander), [Chief Secretary to the Treasury](/source/Chief_Secretary_to_the_Treasury) from 2010 to 2012.[1][2] From 2013, he was Government Apprenticeship Ambassador to Business.

## Career

Birtwistle began work as a craft engineering apprentice in 1958, with [Howard & Bullough](/source/Howard_%26_Bullough), who were textile machinery manufacturers in [Accrington](/source/Accrington).[3] 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](/source/Lucas_Aerospace) in [Burnley](/source/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](/source/Sheffield), who were manufacturers of metal cutting tools.

After five years, he became a director of *C&G Cutter Grinding Services* in [Blackburn](/source/Blackburn), named after its two founders Thomas Chew and William Gradwell. The company was sold in the mid-1980s, to a large engineering [PLC](/source/Public_limited_company), whom he continued to work for. After four years, he set up P&J Engineering Supplies, buying and selling engineering tools.[3] 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](/source/Labour_Party_(UK)) councillor in the 1970s, representing [Great Harwood](/source/Great_Harwood) on [Lancashire County Council](/source/Lancashire_County_Council).[4][5] In 1982, he defected to the [Social Democratic Party](/source/Social_Democratic_Party_(UK)) (SDP),[6][7] and was elected to represent Deerplay ward on [Burnley Borough Council](/source/Burnley_Borough_Council) the following year.[8] In the late 1980s he led the council's [SDP/Liberal Group](/source/SDP%E2%80%93Liberal_Alliance), and from 2006 to 2010 was leader of the council itself.[4] He was also Mayor of Burnley from 2002 to 2003.[4] As of 2021[\[update\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gordon_Birtwistle&action=edit), he remains a Liberal Democrat councillor for the borough's [Coal Clough with Deerplay ward](/source/2014_Burnley_Borough_Council_election#Coal_Clough_with_Deerplay). He was also a candidate in the [2014 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election](/source/2014_Liberal_Democrats_deputy_leadership_election).[2][9]

#### MP

Birtwistle took Burnley from Labour for the Liberal Democrats at the [2010 general election](/source/2010_United_Kingdom_general_election), with a 12% swing and 1,818 majority.[1] The first non-Labour MP in the [Burnley constituency](/source/Burnley_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) since 1935, he had previously contested the seat in [1992](/source/1992_United_Kingdom_general_election), [1997](/source/1997_United_Kingdom_general_election) and [2005](/source/2005_United_Kingdom_general_election).[2] He was the oldest new MP of the 2010 intake, aged 66.[10] On election, his three main aims were returning the [Accident and Emergency department](/source/Emergency_department) to Burnley General Hospital; bringing new high-value jobs and firms to [Burnley](/source/Burnley); and reinstating direct rail travel between Burnley and [Manchester](/source/Manchester).[5]

A few weeks after his election, he was offered the role of [Parliamentary Private Secretary](/source/Parliamentary_Private_Secretary) to [Danny Alexander](/source/Danny_Alexander), [Chief Secretary to the Treasury](/source/Chief_Secretary_to_the_Treasury).[10] He hosted a manufacturing summit for the North West region in Burnley in June 2011, which was opened by [Vince Cable](/source/Vince_Cable) with a speech at the new £80 million [Burnley College](/source/Burnley_College) and [University of Central Lancashire](/source/University_of_Central_Lancashire) campus.[11] 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 [Todmorden Curve](/source/Caldervale_Line#Todmorden_Curve), a five hundred metre stretch of track unused since the 1960s, and an upgrade to [Burnley Manchester Road railway station](/source/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](/source/Visions_Learning_Trust) [University Technical College](/source/University_Technical_College) had also recently received funding.[12]

In February 2012, Birtwistle became chairman of a new [all-party parliamentary group](/source/All-party_parliamentary_group) dedicated to the advancement of [apprenticeships](/source/Apprenticeship).[10] In March, he wrote of his support for increasing the [minimum wage](/source/Minimum_wage) and the introduction of the [pupil premium](/source/Pupil_premium), and argued for measures to tackle [tax avoidance](/source/Tax_avoidance).[13]

That October, he introduced a [private members bill](/source/Private_members_bill) to the [Commons](/source/House_of_Commons_of_the_United_Kingdom) 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](/source/First_reading), it did not progress further.[14][15] In March 2013, he was appointed as Government Apprenticeship Ambassador to Business, a new role intended to raise the profile and prestige of apprenticeships.[3]

He was one of only a few Liberal Democrat MPs to oppose allowing [same sex couples to marry](/source/Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_Kingdom), rebelling against his party in a number of Commons votes on the issue in 2013–14.[16] He has been quoted as saying "[Civil partnerships](/source/Civil_partnership_in_the_United_Kingdom) 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".[17][18]

In 2014, Birtwistle called for fellow Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate [Maajid Nawaz](/source/Maajid_Nawaz) to be de-selected and his party membership cancelled, after he posted a controversial cartoon of Jesus and Muhammad on [Twitter](/source/Twitter).[19]

At the [2015 general election](/source/2015_United_Kingdom_general_election), Birtwistle lost his seat to Labour's [Julie Cooper](/source/Julie_Cooper_(politician)), 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](/source/2017_United_Kingdom_general_election), but was unsuccessful, and fell behind the [Conservatives](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK)), into third place. In [2019](/source/2019_United_Kingdom_general_election), 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](/source/2024_United_Kingdom_general_election), 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.[20] 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](/source/Roger_Gale).

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-BBC_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-BBC_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-BBC_1-2) ["Gordon Birtwistle MP"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110804065848/http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/38423.stm). *BBC Democracy Live*. BBC. Archived from [the original](http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/38423.stm) on 4 August 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2010.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-DeptLeader_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-DeptLeader_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-DeptLeader_2-2) Maghill, Peter (8 January 2014). ["Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle puts his name forward for Commons"](http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10922175.Burnley_MP_Gordon_Birtwistle_puts_his_name_forward_for_Commons/). *Lancashire Telegraph*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150215232449/http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10922175.Burnley_MP_Gordon_Birtwistle_puts_his_name_forward_for_Commons/) from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Ambassador_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Ambassador_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Ambassador_3-2) [New government ambassadors created to promote apprenticeships](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-government-ambassadors-created-to-promote-apprenticeships) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150120232931/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-government-ambassadors-created-to-promote-apprenticeships) 20 January 2015 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) Government Digital Service – Press release, 14 March 2013

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-WW_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-WW_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-WW_4-2) ["BIRTWISTLE, Gordon"](https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U251454). *[Who's Who](/source/Who's_Who_(UK))*. Vol. 2024 (online ed.). A & C Black. (Subscription or [UK public library membership](https://www.ukwhoswho.com/page/subscribe#public) required.)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-citizen_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-citizen_5-1) [Introducing East Lancashire's four new MPs (From Blackburn Citizen)](http://www.blackburncitizen.co.uk/news/8159254.print/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110723032941/http://www.blackburncitizen.co.uk/news/8159254.print/) 23 July 2011 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). *Blackburncitizen.co.uk* (11 May 2010). Retrieved on 4 February 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Anon. (17 November 2004). ["Ex mayor in bid to be MP"](https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/5808828.ex-mayor-in-bid-to-be-mp/). *Lancashire Telegraph*. Retrieved 24 June 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Chris Adams (8 January 2014). ["Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle puts his name forward for Commons"](https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/10922175.burnley-mp-gordon-birtwistle-puts-name-forward-commons/). *Lancashire Telegraph*. Retrieved 24 June 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher. ["Burnley Borough Council Election Results, 1973-2012"](https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Burnley-1973-2012.pdf). *electionscentre.co.uk.* p. 5.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Councillor details – Councillor Gordon Birtwistle"](https://burnley.moderngov.co.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=128). *burnley.moderngov.co.uk*. 13 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-PoliticsHome_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-PoliticsHome_10-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-PoliticsHome_10-2) [*Gordon Birtwistle: One man industrial revolution*](https://www.politicshome.com/articles/interview/gordon-birtwistle-one-man-industrial-revolution), PoliticsHome, 8 March 2013, [archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150215150229/https://www.politicshome.com/articles/interview/gordon-birtwistle-one-man-industrial-revolution) from the original on 15 February 2015, retrieved 15 February 2015

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [Business Secretary Vince Cable outlines key to Burnley’s future – Business News](http://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/business-news/business_secretary_vince_cable_outlines_key_to_burnley_s_future_1_3501894) [Archived](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) 4 July 2011 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine). *Burnley Express* (21 June 2011). Retrieved on 4 February 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Magill, Peter (31 October 2011). ["Major boost as £9million rail link cash announced for Burnley"](http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/burnleypendlerossendale/9335117.Major_boost_as___9million_rail_link_cash_announced_for_Burnley/). *Lancashire Telegraph*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150219235640/http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/burnleypendlerossendale/9335117.Major_boost_as___9million_rail_link_cash_announced_for_Burnley/) from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Gordon Birtwistle (16 March 2012). ["Time to tackle tax avoidance"](https://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/16/liberaldemocrats-budget-gordon-birtwistle). *The Guardian*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150219212347/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/the-northerner/2012/mar/16/liberaldemocrats-budget-gordon-birtwistle) from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["MP demands careers advice in schools from age 12"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/house_of_commons/newsid_9762000/9762225.stm). *BBC Democracy Live*. BBC. 23 October 2012. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150212025209/http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/house_of_commons/newsid_9762000/9762225.stm) from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Careers Advice in Schools for 12-16 Year Olds Bill 2012-13"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150212025400/http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/careersadviceinschoolsfor1216yearolds.html). Services.parliament.uk. 23 October 2012. Archived from [the original](http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2012-13/careersadviceinschoolsfor1216yearolds.html) on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [Voting Record – Gordon Birtwistle MP, Burnley](https://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?id=uk.org.publicwhip/member/40132&showall=yes) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20190207130317/https://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?id=uk.org.publicwhip%2Fmember%2F40132&showall=yes) 7 February 2019 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Public Whip

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** [Lib Dem MP Gordon Birtwistle: ‘Gay marriage is just not on’](http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/12/17/lib-dem-mp-gordon-birtwistle-gay-marriage-is-just-not-on/) [Archived](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/) 3 December 2013 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), Pink News, 17 December 2012

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** ['Most people in the borough oppose gay marriage' says Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle](http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/burnley/10441929._Most_people_in_the_borough_oppose_gay_marriage__says_Burnley_MP/) [Archived](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/) 20 January 2015 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), *Lancashire Telegraph*, 24 May 2013

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ['Burnley MP's anger at Jesus-Muhammad cartoon'](https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/11020652.burnley-mps-anger-at-jesus-muhammad-cartoon/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20191016074826/https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/11020652.burnley-mps-anger-at-jesus-muhammad-cartoon/) 16 October 2019 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), *Lancashire Telegraph*, 19 February 2014

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** [\[1\]](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001142), "Burnley Results 2024 from the BBC", 7 July 2024

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Gordon Birtwistle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Gordon_Birtwistle).

- [Burnley Liberal Democrats](http://www.burnleylibdems.org.uk/)

- [Profile](http://www.libdems.org.uk/people_detail.aspx?name=Gordon_Birtwistle&pPK=c11f5929-c2a6-494c-b73f-6df8fdbaa520) at the Liberal Democrats

- [Profile](https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/gordon-birtwistle/3946) at [Parliament of the United Kingdom](/source/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom)

- [Contributions in Parliament](https://hansard.parliament.uk/search/MemberContributions?memberId=3946) at *[Hansard](/source/Hansard)*

- [Voting record](https://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn=Gordon_Birtwistle) at [Public Whip](/source/Public_Whip)

- [Record in Parliament](https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/gordon_birtwistle) at [TheyWorkForYou](/source/TheyWorkForYou)

- [Profile](https://www.opensanctions.org/entities/Q263822) on OpenSanctions, an open database of sanctions and persons of interest

Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded by Kitty Ussher Member of Parliament for Burnley 2010–2015 Succeeded by Julie Cooper

v t e 2014 Liberal Democrats deputy leadership election Outgoing Deputy Leader: Simon Hughes Gordon Birtwistle Sir Malcolm Bruce Lorely Burt

Authority control databases: People UK Parliament

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gordon Birtwistle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Birtwistle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Birtwistle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.