Matthew Offord was first elected as the Conservative MP for Hendon in 2010, being reelected in 2019 with a majority of 4,230.
The constituency of Hendon is found in north London within the London Borough of Barnet. It includes the communities of Colindale, West Hendon, and Burnt Oak. There is a large Jewish community in this seat said to number 20,000,the second largest of any seat in the UK. An ethnically diverse seat, there are also notably Hindu and Muslim communities in this part of London. It is reported that close to half the population in Hendon were born outside of the UK.
Hendon is one of the UK’s most delicate swing seats which backed the Labour Party during its period of government between 1997 and 2010, but which has narrowly backed the Conservatives in every election since 2010.
Born in 1969, Offord studied at Nottingham Trent University; Lancaster University; and then undertook a PhD at Kings College London. He previously worked for the BBC in Shepherds Bush as a political analyst.
Offord was formerly elected to Barnet Council, where he was once Deputy Leader of the Council.
Offord is an elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. In 2005 undertook a 2,000 km exploration of the Libyan Desert.
Offord supported Brexit in the 2016 EU referendum, and backed Boris Johnson in the 2019 Conservative leadership election.
Offord is a keen sailor, who has previously participated in the Round The Island Race, just off the Isle of Wight, as well as the 2009 Fastnet Race.
At Westminster, Dr Matthew Offord is Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Sri Lanka; Explosive Threats; Illicit Trade. He is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Albania; the Cayman Islands; the Channel Islands; Israel; Kosovo; Kuwait; Pakistan; Small Island Developing States; Somaliland; Antisemitism; British Jews; the Environment; and Ocean Conservation.
Email: matthew.offord.mp@parliament.uk
Website: www.matthewofford.co.uk
Twitter: @Offord4Hendon
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthew.offord.3
