Alan Whitehead was first elected as the Labour MP for Southampton Test in 1997, being re-elected in 2019 with a majority of 6,213.
Named after the River Test, the constituency of Southampton Test mainly covers the western part of the city of Southampton. It includes the districts of Bevois, Freemantle, Portswood, Redbridge and Shirley. It is home to both Southampton’s St Mary’s Football ground and the University of Southampton. Although this was once very much a marginal seat which regularly changed hands between the Conservatives and Labour, doing so in 1966, 1970, 1974, 1979 and 1997, Southampton Test was arguably considered the more Conservative of the Southampton seats. Having been held continuously by Labour since 1997, today it is the party’s only surviving outpost in the city, and has now arguably become a relatively safe Labour seat.
Dr Alan Whitehead is a Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change, a position he has held since 2016.
Between June 2001 and May 2002 he was Under Secretary of State in the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.
Born in 1950, Whitehead graduated with a degree in Politics and Philosophy from Southampton University and went on to achieve a Ph.D. in Political Science. He worked in research for two national charities during the 1980s and early 90s,before becoming the Professor of Public Policy at Southampton Institute.
Whitehead was elected to Southampton City Council between 1980 and 1992, and was the Leader of the Council between 1984 and 1992.
He campaigned for Remain in the 2016 referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union, and later defied a three line whip to vote against Article 50 in Parliament which formally triggered Britain’s departure from the EU.
He supported Keir Starmer in the 2020 Labour leadership election.
Whitehead has long campaigned in Parliament on the issue of renewable energy, and is said to have been once of the first MPs to have installed solar panels on the roof of his house.
Dr Alan Whitehead is Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Channel Islands. He is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on West Papua; the Environment; Fuel Poverty and Energy Efficiency; and Deputy Chair of the Group on Maritime and Ports.
Email: whiteheada@parliament.uk
Personal Website: www.alan-whitehead.org.uk
Twitter: twitter.com/alanwhiteheadmp
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/alanwhiteheadmp?fref=ts
