Al Pinkerton
British politician and academic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alasdair Douglas Pinkerton[1] is a British politician and academic who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Surrey Heath since the 2024 general election. A member of the Liberal Democrats, he has worked as an associate professor in geopolitics at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Al Pinkerton | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for Surrey Heath | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Michael Gove |
| Majority | 5,640 (11.8%) |
| Liberal Democrat portfolios | |
| 2024–2025 | Northern Ireland |
| 2025–present | Europe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Alasdair Douglas Pinkerton Scotland |
| Party | Liberal Democrats |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation |
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| Website | www |
Pinkerton currently sits on the Liberal Democrat frontbench team as the Spokesman for Europe.
Early life and academic career
Pinkerton was born and grew up in Scotland. He graduated with a degree in geography from the University of St Andrews in 2001. In 2006, he completed a PhD in geopolitics at Royal Holloway, University of London, under the supervision of Klaus Dodds, exploring the emergence of the BBC Empire Service in the 1930s.[2][3]
Since 2009, Pinkerton has worked as an academic at Royal Holloway. At the time of his election to Parliament in 2024, he was a reader (associate professor) of geopolitics.[4][5] He served as an accredited observer of the 2013 Falkland Islands sovereignty referendum, and has conducted research in regions affected by international disputes and geopolitical tensions.[2][6]
Political career
Pinkerton first sought election to Parliament as a Liberal Democrat in the 2019 general election for Surrey Heath, finishing in second place behind the incumbent Conservative MP, Michael Gove.[7] He spent the next five years pursuing Surrey Heath for the Liberal Democrats.[8] The party took control of Surrey Heath Borough Council in 2023, for the first time in the borough's history.[9]
In the 2024 general election, Pinkerton was elected as MP for Surrey Heath with 44.8 per cent of the vote and a majority of 5,640.[10] He became the first non-Conservative MP to represent the area in 118 years.[11]
On 18 September 2024, Ed Davey announced his new Frontbench Team. Al Pinkerton became Spokesperson for Northern Ireland within the team.[12]
On 30 September 2025, Ed Davey announced that Al Pinkerton would be the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Europe.[13]
Published works
- Dodds, Klaus; Pinkerton, Alasdair (October 2013). "The Falkland Islands referendum 2013". Polar Record. 49 (4): 413–416. Bibcode:2013PoRec..49..413D. doi:10.1017/S0032247413000326. ISSN 0032-2474.
- Adey, Peter; Bowstead, Janet C.; Brickell, Katherine; Desai, Vandana; Dolton, Mike; Pinkerton, Alasdair; Siddiqi, Ayesha, eds. (2020). The Handbook of Displacement. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-47178-1. ISBN 978-3-030-47177-4.
