30 Facts About Alex Cunningham

Alexander Cunningham was born on 1 May 1955 and is a British politician who served as Member of Parliament for Stockton North from 2010 to 2024.

Alex Cunningham served on Cleveland County Council from 1984 to 1997 and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council from 1999 to 2010, where he was a member of the council's executive.

Alex Cunningham joined the opposition front bench as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Sadiq Khan, Shadow Justice Secretary, and became Shadow Natural Environment Minister in 2015.

Alex Cunningham resigned in 2016 due to a lack of confidence in Jeremy Corbyn's party leadership, but rejoined as Shadow Pensions Minister later in the year.

Alex Cunningham was born in Harthill, Scotland and moved to Darlington, County Durham at a young age.

Alex Cunningham was educated at Branksome Comprehensive School and the Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College.

Alex Cunningham later attended Darlington Technical College, where he was awarded a certificate in journalism in 1976.

Alex Cunningham's began working at The Evening Gazette in 1979, where he remained for five years until he became a press officer at British Gas.

Alex Cunningham left this job in 2002, later becoming managing director of Tees Valley Communicators.

Alex Cunningham was elected as a Member of Cleveland County Council in 1984, later becoming the vice-chairman of the education committee and serving on the council until 1997.

Alex Cunningham served on Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council from 1999 until his election to Parliament in 2010, and was Cabinet Member for Children and Young People.

Alex Cunningham was selected as the Labour candidate for Stockton North in January 2008, successfully challenging long-serving incumbent MP Frank Cook in a mandatory re-selection.

Alex Cunningham was elected as MP for Stockton North at the 2010 general election, despite his majority being halved compared to the previous election.

Alex Cunningham backed David Miliband in the 2010 Labour leadership election.

Alex Cunningham was a member of the Work and Pensions Committee from 2010 to 2011, Education Committee from 2011 to 2015 and Environmental Audit Committee in 2019.

Alex Cunningham has sat on committees scrutinising the Armed Forces Act 2011 whilst it was a bill, as well as the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill and Judicial Review and Courts Bill.

Alex Cunningham joined Ed Miliband's opposition front bench upon his appointment as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Sadiq Khan, the Shadow Justice Secretary.

Alex Cunningham was re-elected with an increased majority in 2015, and nominated Andy Burnham and Caroline Flint in the 2015 Labour leadership and Deputy Leadership elections.

Alex Cunningham was promoted to a shadow ministerial post following Jeremy Corbyn's election as Labour leader, becoming Shadow Minister for the Natural Environment in September 2015.

Alex Cunningham resigned from the front bench in June 2016, alongside a many of his colleagues, after losing confidence in Corbyn's leadership.

Alex Cunningham supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace him in the 2016 Labour leadership election.

Alex Cunningham re-joined the opposition front bench in October 2016 as Shadow Minister for Pensions, and was an re-elected in 2017 with an increased vote share but a swing towards the Conservatives.

Alex Cunningham resigned as a shadow minister in December 2017 after voting against the Labour whip, supporting an amendment to the EU Bill proposing remaining in the customs union.

Alex Cunningham became a shadow minister in April 2019 as a Shadow Minister for Housing.

Alex Cunningham was re-elected at the 2019 general election with a significantly reduced majority.

Alex Cunningham endorsed Keir Starmer in the 2020 Labour leadership election, and nominated Ian Murray in the deputy leadership election.

Alex Cunningham was appointed Shadow Minister for Courts and Sentencing upon Starmer's election in April 2020.

On 25 November 2021, Alex Cunningham announced he would be standing down from Parliament at the 2024 election.

On 22 November 2023, Alex Cunningham accused Home Secretary James Cleverly of calling Stockton North a "shithole" in response to a question in the Commons; Cleverly denied the allegation, but apologised for using "unparliamentary language", which he claimed had been used to describe Alex Cunningham himself.

Alex Cunningham has been married to Evaline since 1977, who has served as a Member of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council since 2011.