Andy McDonald

Andrew Joseph McDonald (born 8 March 1958) has been the Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough since 2012.

Political career
McDonald was active in local politics in Middlesbrough for many years. He served as councillor for Westbourne ward from 1995 to 1999. At the time of his selection as a parliamentary candidate, he was chairman of Middlesbrough Labour Party Local Government Committee. Labour shortlisted McDonald as a potential candidate for the Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in the 2010 United Kingdom general election. However, Tom Blenkinsop was the eventual choice.

McDonald became a parliamentarian when he won the Middlesbrough by-election held on 29 November 2012, retaining the seat for Labour following the death of Stuart Bell. McDonald increased the party's share of the vote to 60.5% though his majority was reduced by 500 to 8,211.

In February 2013, McDonald was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Emily Thornberry MP, Shadow Attorney General.

Since his election to Parliament, McDonald has campaigned on a number of issues including opposition to the "Bedroom Tax" (part of the Welfare Reform Act 2012) and the privatisation of the East Coast Main Line. Following Edward Miliband's Shadow Cabinet reshuffle in October 2013, it was announced that McDonald would become Parliamentary Private Secretary to Chuka Umunna MP in his role as Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

In January 2016, McDonald was appointed Jeremy Corbyn's Shadow Minister for Rail and in June 2016, McDonald was appointed Shadow Transport Secretary.