Lorraine Beavers
British politician
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Lorraine Beavers (née Shewan; born November 1962) is a British Labour Party politician who has been MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood since 2024.[1] She was previously a Lancashire County Councillor for Fleetwood East (formerly Fleetwood West) and a Wyre Borough Councillor for Park.
Lorraine Beavers | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for Blackpool North and Fleetwood | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Majority | 4,647 (11.1%) |
| Lancashire County Councillor for Fleetwood East Fleetwood West (2013–2017) | |
| In office 2 May 2013 – 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Clive Grunshaw |
| Succeeded by | David Shaw |
| Wyre Borough Councillor for Park | |
| In office 4 May 2023 – 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | David O'Neill |
| Succeeded by | Alice Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Lorraine Shewan November 1962 (age 63) |
| Party | Labour |
| Spouse |
John Beavers (m. 1983) |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
Career
In the 2013 Lancashire County Council election, Beavers ran as the Labour Party candidate for Fleetwood West, winning the seat with a majority of 459 votes and succeeding the previous Labour councillor Clive Grunshaw.[5] Following boundary changes, she ran for Fleetwood East in the 2017 County Council election, winning the seat with a majority of 727 votes.[6] In the 2021 County Council election, Beavers held her Fleetwood East seat with an increased majority of 871 votes.[7] In the 2023 Wyre Borough Council election, she stood as one of two Labour candidates for the Park ward, winning the seat from UKIP's David O'Neill.[8]
In the 2024 general election, she was elected with a majority of 4,647 votes, unseating incumbent Conservative Paul Maynard.[9] She became the first MP from Fleetwood. Beavers won the traditionally Conservative seat after a strong performance by the Reform UK candidate who came third.[10] The Blackpool Gazette called Beavers "a well known figure in Fleetwood, having grown up in the town and served as a Labour councillor at town council, borough and county level."[10]
In November 2024, Beavers voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which proposes to legalise assisted suicide.[11]
Personal life
In 1983, she married John Beavers, who served in the British Army during the Falklands War and the Troubles.[12][13] They have two children.[14] Her father, Ronnie Shewan, died on 28 February 2024.[15] Her mother Brenda died six months later on 14 August.[4]
Electoral history
House of Commons
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Lorraine Beavers | 16,744 | 40.0 | +4.4 | |
| Conservative | Paul Maynard | 12,097 | 28.9 | −26.9 | |
| Reform | Dan Barker | 9,913 | 23.7 | +22.0 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Bill Greene | 1,318 | 3.2 | −0.8 | |
| Green | Tina Rothery | 1,269 | 3.0 | +1.1 | |
| Monster Raving Loony | James Rust | 174 | 0.4 | New | |
| Independent | Gita Gordon | 148 | 0.4 | New | |
| SDP | Jeannine Cresswell | 147 | 0.4 | New | |
| Majority | 4,647 | 11.1 | |||
| Turnout | 41,810 | 57.0 | −9.4 | ||
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
Lancashire County Council
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Lorraine Beavers | 1,740 | 53.33 | ||
| Conservative | Susan Hunt | 869 | 26.63 | ||
| Independent | Brian Crawford | 351 | 10.76 | ||
| Green | Michael Pickton | 127 | 3.89 | ||
| Reform | Paul Sandham | 102 | 3.13 | ||
| Liberal Democrats | Gerry Blaikie | 43 | 1.32 | ||
| Majority | 871 | 26.69 | |||
| Turnout | 3,263 | 28.87 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Lorraine Beavers | 2,028 | |||
| Conservative | David Shaw | 1,301 | |||
| Green | Michael Pickton | 107 | |||
| Independent | Ray Smith | 93 | |||
| Majority | 727 | ||||
| Turnout | 3,536 | 32.31 | |||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Lorraine Beavers | 1,364 | |||
| Conservative | Chris McConnachie | 905 | |||
| UKIP | David Gerrard | 683 | |||
| Communist | Jack Harrison | 28 | |||
| Majority | 459 | ||||
| Turnout | 2,988 | 32.36 | |||
| Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | ||||
Wyre Borough Council
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Lorraine Beavers | 504 | 64.3 | +28.5 | |
| Labour | Christine Smith | 451 | 57.5 | +21.3 | |
| Conservative | Geraldine Northwood | 275 | 35.1 | +14.0 | |
| Conservative | Susan Hunt | 188 | 24.0 | +6.1 | |
| Turnout | 784 | 23.53 | |||
| Labour gain from UKIP | Swing | ||||
| Labour hold | Swing | ||||
