40 Facts About Dan Norris

Dan Norris has served as Member of Parliament for North East Somerset and Hanham since 2024, having represented Wansdyke, one of its predecessor constituencies, from 1997 to 2010.

Dan Norris was elected to Parliament for North East Somerset and Hanham in the 2024 general election, defeating Jacob Rees-Mogg, who had defeated him in the 2010 election.

Dan Norris was born on 28 January 1960 in London to David and June Dan Norris.

Dan Norris was educated at Chipping Sodbury School and the University of Sussex, where he received a Master of Arts in social work in 1988.

Dan Norris worked as a teacher and child protection officer, having trained with the NSPCC.

Dan Norris was a councillor on Bristol City Council for the Brislington West ward from 1989 to 1992 and from 1995 to 1997, and a councillor on Avon County Council from 1994 to 1996.

Dan Norris first stood for parliament in the constituency of Northavon in 1987, losing against the Conservative incumbent, John Cope.

Dan Norris contested the Wansdyke seat again in the election of 1997, and this time succeeded in taking it with a majority of 4,799, overturning a Conservative majority of 11,770 votes.

Dan Norris went on to increase his majority to 5,613 in the election of 2001.

Dan Norris had an interest in child safety and regularly campaigned against paedophiles.

In 2005 Dan Norris co-wrote, produced and distributed a booklet, Don't Bully Me, giving practical advice to children in the UK on dealing with bullying.

Dan Norris was an assistant whip for the Treasury from June 2001 to June 2003.

Dan Norris had long campaigned against fox hunting, supporting the legislation outlawing it.

Dan Norris stood in the new seat but was defeated by the Conservative candidate Jacob Rees-Mogg.

In May 2012, Dan Norris was shortlisted to be the Labour Party candidate for the Bristol mayoral election, but did not win the selection.

Dan Norris was critical of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party's handling of antisemitism, stating in an op-ed for the Bristol Post, "today's Labour leadership seems to have become highly uncomfortable in opposing racism when it is directed at Jewish people".

In 2004, Dan Norris was appointed to the board of the Snowdon Trust, a charity that supports students with physical disabilities.

Dan Norris ultimately resigned as chairman following his arrest in April 2025, and in that month a case was initiated in the High Court against LACS and Dan Norris, in his role as chairman, by Knott for harassment and bullying.

Dan Norris was selected as the Labour Party candidate on 16 November 2020, defeating Bristol councillor Helen Godwin in a vote of local members by 1,611 votes to 1,558.

Dan Norris said he would establish a "Green Recovery Fund" to create 23,000 jobs by investing in "home retrofitting, tree-planting, flood and drought defences, and renewable energy".

Dan Norris was elected as the mayor of the West of England in the 2021 mayoral election, a role which had previously been held by the Conservative Tim Bowles.

Dan Norris credited his victory to the leadership of Keir Starmer.

Dan Norris said he would support North Somerset and parts of Somerset joining the combined authority, and he would seek additional funds for them.

Also in July 2021, Dan Norris launched new schemes to support the creative and food industries in the region.

In November 2021, after taking new legal advice, Dan Norris agreed not to claim veto powers on decisions involving North Somerset.

South Gloucestershire Council asked for funding from WECA for a pedestrianisation scheme on Thornbury's high street, which Dan Norris threatened to withhold unless the council further consulted residents.

Dan Norris supported a strike by the University and College Union in Bristol in December 2021.

In 2023, Dan Norris announced the launch of a "Birthday Pass", a concessionary bus pass that would allow commuters to travel on any bus route across the West of England free of charge during the month of their birthday.

Dan Norris defended the scheme, arguing that its uptake amongst middle class commuters were "precisely the people most needed to get out of their cars and onto public transport", and that the images needed to be so big as it was "used on a big bus".

In September 2024, it was announced that Dan Norris would be ineligible to seek re-election, following proposals adopted by the Labour government extend a ban on councillors remaining in their local government roles if they are elected to the House of Commons to other office holders, including Mayors.

In March 2022, Dan Norris stated that the region's green belt was "not fit for purpose".

Dan Norris argued that there should be no overall green belt area reduction, but limited changes to extend urban areas in a few places should be permitted.

In May 2022, Dan Norris told the government that agreement of a SDS was impossible, blaming South Gloucestershire council for leaving discussions, which was denied by South Gloucestershire's leader.

Subsequently, the three councils started developing their own individual Local Plans, which Dan Norris had described as parochial.

In July 2024, Dan Norris was elected to Parliament at the 2024 general election for North East Somerset and Hanham, which covered largely the same area as his former Wansdyke constituency, defeating Jacob Rees-Mogg in a rematch of their 2010 contest.

Dan Norris continued to hold the office of mayor of the West of England, although under "second job" rule changes implemented by the Labour Party in September 2024, he would not be able to stand for re-election as mayor in May 2025.

Dan Norris was released on conditional bail for enquiries to continue.

Dan Norris was suspended by the Labour Party on 4 April 2025.

On 8 April 2025, it was confirmed that Dan Norris had been banned from the Parliamentary Estate while a risk assessment was being undertaken, following the accusations made against him.

Dan Norris was banned from entering the WECA headquarters in Bristol, and had his access to the Combined Authority's IT system deactivated.