{{Short description|British politician (1952–2023)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Linda Arkley | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}} | image = Official portrait of Linda Arkley.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2009 | office = Mayor of North Tyneside | term_start = 4 June 2009 | term_end = 2 May 2013 | predecessor = John Harrison | successor = Norma Redfearn | term_start1 = 12 June 2003 | term_end1 = 5 May 2005 | predecessor1 = Chris Morgan | successor1 = John Harrison | office2 = North Tyneside Councillor for Cullercoats ward | term_start2 = 6 May 2021 | term_end2 = 13 October 2023 | predecessor2 = Karen Lee | successor2 = | office3 = North Tyneside Councillor for Preston ward | term_start3 = 6 October 2005 | term_end3 = 4 June 2009 | predecessor3 = Martin Van Der Merwe | successor3 = David Sarin | office4 = North Tyneside Councillor for Tynemouth ward | term_start4 = 2 May 1996 | term_end4 = 12 June 2003 | predecessor4 = | successor4 = | term_start5 = 2 May 1991 | term_end5 = 4 May 1995 | birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1952|02|}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2023|10|13|1952|02|}} | death_place = | party = Conservative | website = }}
'''Linda Arkley''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}} (February 1952 – 13 October 2023) was a British Conservative politician who served as the elected mayor of North Tyneside from 2003 to 2005 and from 2009 to 2013.
== Early life == Linda Arkley was born in February 1952.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Linda Arkley personal appointments - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/i3yBa_QfFwBuLT5SCHKQGv_2z_0/appointments |access-date=2023-10-14 |website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref> She attended The Bede School in Sunderland, and studied at both Sunderland University and Northumbria University. For most of Arkley's professional career she worked as a nurse and health visitor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.questia.com/newspaper/1G1-102916235/lining-up-for-mayor-battle|title="Lining Up for Mayor Battle" - Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), June 9, 2003}}{{dead link|date=July 2021}}</ref>
== Political career == Arkley was first elected as a councillor for Tynemouth ward in 1991, a seat she held until 1995 before regaining it in 1996. During this time she served as deputy leader of the Conservative group on North Tyneside council and in cabinet under Conservative Mayor, Chris Morgan.
The Conservative Mayor of North Tyneside, Chris Morgan, resigned in 2003 due to a scandal involving child pornography.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chronicle|first=Evening|date=2003-04-18|title=Mayor in porn probe resigns|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/mayor-in-porn-probe-resigns-1648607|access-date=2021-05-21|website=ChronicleLive|language=en}}</ref> Arkley stood in the subsequent by-election, and won in the second round defeating then MEP Gordon Adam.<ref>{{Cite news|date=13 June 2003|title=Tory nurse beats Labour MEP|page=14|work=The Guardian}}</ref>
Arkley was defeated in 2005 by Labour candidate John Harrison.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/vote_2005/frontpage/4523819.stm|title=English elect councils and mayors|date=2005-05-07|access-date=2007-05-11|publisher=BBC News}}</ref>
Later that year she stood in a council by-election in 2005, and was elected to represent Preston ward.
Arkley regained the mayoralty of North Tyneside in 2009, when she defeated Harrison.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/david-cameron-meets-north-tyneside-1454008|title=David Cameron meets North Tyneside voters|last=Pearson|first=Adrian|date=2009-05-05|website=nechronicle|access-date=2019-03-08}}</ref> Towards the end of Arkley's second term she was expelled from a meeting of North Tyneside Council after she “berated” Labour councillor Sandra Graham after she asked questions about workers’ rights and the safeguarding of external funding.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/local-news/north-tyneside-mayor-gets-thrown-1724503|title=North Tyneside mayor gets thrown out of meeting|last=Butcher|first=Joanne|date=2013-03-01|website=nechronicle|access-date=2019-03-08}}</ref>
In May 2013 she was defeated by the Labour candidate Norma Redfearn.
Arkley stood as the Conservative candidate for Tynemouth ward in 2014, when she was defeated by the Labour incumbent, Sarah Day.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/category/438/2014-local-election-results|title=2014 local election results {{!}} North Tyneside Council|website=my.northtyneside.gov.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-04-22}}</ref> In the 2015 local elections, Linda Arkley again unsuccessfully attempted to return to North Tyneside Council by standing in Benton ward where she lost to Labour's Janet Hunter.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newsguardian.co.uk/news/politics/labour-strengthens-its-control-of-north-tyneside-council-1-7251583|title=Labour strengthens its control of North Tyneside Council|access-date=2018-04-22|language=en|archive-date=23 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423033307/https://www.newsguardian.co.uk/news/politics/labour-strengthens-its-control-of-north-tyneside-council-1-7251583|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In March 2019, Linda Arkley announced her intention to seek the Conservative nomination in the inaugural North of Tyne Mayoral election, noting that she was the only declared female candidate for the office.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Another Tory candidate revealed for North of Tyne mayor|url=https://www.newsguardian.co.uk/news/another-tory-candidate-revealed-for-north-of-tyne-mayor-1-9639001|access-date=2019-03-08|website=www.newsguardian.co.uk|language=en}}</ref> Having chosen the International Women's Day to announce her decision, she told ''ChronicleLife'' that her candidacy had been inspired by "making sure this isn't a male dominated race."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Seddon|first=Sean|date=2019-03-08|title=Linda Arkley announces run to be Tory North of Tyne mayor candidate|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/ex-north-tyneside-mayor-linda-15944270|access-date=2019-09-20|website=nechronicle}}</ref> Arkley would go on to lose the nomination to local businessman Charlie Hoult.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Seddon|first=Sean|date=2019-03-14|title=Charlie Hoult will be the Tory North of Tyne mayor candidate|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/charlie-hoult-conservative-party-north-15976848|access-date=2019-06-12|website=nechronicle}}</ref>
Arkley made her return to North Tyneside Council in 2021, taking the seat of Cullercoats ward from the Labour Party in that year's local elections.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Council|first=North Tyneside|title=2021 local election results|url=https://my.northtyneside.gov.uk/category/1538/2021-local-election-results|access-date=2021-05-21|website=my.northtyneside.gov.uk|language=en-GB}}</ref>
Linda Arkley died on 13 October 2023, at the age of 71.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shakespeare |first=Austen |date=2023-10-13 |title=Tributes to former Mayor of North Tyneside, Linda Arkley OBE, who has died |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/linda-arkley-north-tyneside-council-27907771 |access-date=2023-10-14 |website=Chronicle Live |language=en}}</ref>
== Honours == Arkley was made an Order of the British Empire in 2018 for political service.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/queens-birthday-honours-revealed-north-14761139|title=Queen's birthday honours - North East list in full|last=Hutchinson|first=Lisa|date=2018-06-08|website=nechronicle|access-date=2019-03-08}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *[http://www.northtyneside.gov.uk/cmsShowCouncillor.shtml?elementName=content%2Fcouncillors&op=&elementValue=Linda+Arkley Councillor Linda Arkley] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927025300/http://www.northtyneside.gov.uk/cmsShowCouncillor.shtml?elementName=content%2Fcouncillors&op=&elementValue=Linda+Arkley |date=27 September 2007 }} page at North Tyneside Council
{{s-start}} {{s-civ}} {{s-bef|before=Chris Morgan}} {{s-ttl|title=Mayor of North Tyneside|years=2003–2005}} {{s-aft|after=John Harrison}} {{s-bef|before=John Harrison}} {{s-ttl|title=Mayor of North Tyneside|years=2009–2013}} {{s-aft|after=Norma Redfearn}} {{End}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arkley, Linda}} Category:1952 births Category:2023 deaths Category:Mayors of the Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside Category:Women mayors of places in England Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:Conservative Party (UK) mayors Category:20th-century English women politicians Category:21st-century English women politicians Category:People from North Shields Category:Place of birth missing Category:Place of death missing