Steve Witherden

His father was a founding member of the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, Powys. Witherden describes on his Facebook page^[1] how in the 1970's his dad brought the family with him to Machynlleth and "a few years later I came along".

He was born in Wrexham, Wales.^[2] He earned a degree in English Literature from the University of Wales, Lampeter, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.^[3]

Witherden worked as a teacher in his constituency for 18 years. He also served as a trade union representative from 2009 and as a county officer from 2015.^[4]

Witherden is dyslexic and dyscalculic, and was illiterate until the age of 11. These experiences led him to become a teacher.^[5]

Witherden won the Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr seat with a majority of 3,815 votes. The former Montgomeryshire MP, Craig Williams, finished third. In his victory speech, Witherden stated that "Montgomeryshire is the only seat in Wales that had never had a Labour MP so history has been made here tonight".^[6]

In his maiden speech, Witherden cited the creation of Great British Energy and the elimination of zero-hour contracts as his priorities.^[5]

He sits on the Welsh Affairs Select Committee in Parliament.^[7]

In November 2024, Witherden voted in favour of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a proposal to legalise assisted suicide.^[8]

Witherden opposes the government's proposed welfare benefits reforms.^[9]

In April 2026, Witherden was accused of plagiarising a constituent's letter of appeal, and idea, presented to him in February 2026, to have unused ventilators stored in the UK sent to Ukraine. A letter from Witherden, dated 3 days later, made the same appeal on behalf of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Cuba, in which he made similar points to his constituent's original letter of appeal.^[10]

Witherden is married and has two children, a son and a daughter.^[4]