Matt Western was elected to serve as MP for Warwick and Leamington in his first election campaign as a candidate in June 2017, overturning a Conservative majority of more than 6,000. He was re-elected against the odds at the December 2019 election. He is Warwickshire’s only Labour MP.
Matt made an immediate impact in the House of Commons and was appointed to both the Communities and Local Government Committee and the International Trade Committee. He is a champion of the automotive industry and chairs both the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Electric Vehicles and the All-Party Parliamentary Motor Group. He also created and chairs the APPG for Council Housing.
After serving as an opposition Whip in the House of Commons, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Higher Education in March 2021.
Before his election, Matt worked for many years in industry, where he specialized in marketing, finance and procurement. He has long been active in the local community, having served as a Warwickshire County Councillor from 2013 to 2018 (he resigned a year after winning the parliamentary seat).
He is a long-term resident of Leamington and lives in the heart of the community with his wife, the University of Warwick historian Rebecca Earle. He served as a governor of his local school, Clapham Terrace Community Primary School, and remains a patron or trustee of several local schools, organisations and charities.
He is a long time supporter of Arsenal Football Club – something he shares with Keir Starmer – and also attends Leamington FC games when he can.
He is a keen sportsman and cyclist and is often out on quiet weekends on Warwickshire’s roads.
You can keep up to date with his latest appearances here. You can also follow him on Twitter and Facebook as well as by signing up here for Matt’s email newsletter.
