33 Facts About Paul Blomfield

Paul Christopher Blomfield was born on 25 August 1953 and is a British politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Central from 2010 to 2024.

Twice President of the Students' Union at St John's College, York, Blomfield was a member of the National Executive Committees of both the National Union of Students and the Anti-Apartheid Movement, the latter from 1979 to 1994.

Paul Blomfield received a certificate in education from York St John University.

Paul Blomfield became involved in the Anti-Apartheid Movement while still at school and continued to organise Anti-Apartheid activity as a student politician.

Paul Blomfield then went on to serve on the National Executive Committee of the Anti-Apartheid Movement from 1979 to 1994 when free elections were held in South Africa.

Paul Blomfield stepped down as general manager just before contesting the 2010 general election.

Paul Blomfield was a trustee of Sheffield City Trust from 1994 to 1997, and its chairman from 1997 to 2008.

Paul Blomfield was the Chair of Sheffield District Labour Party from 1993 to 2009.

Paul Blomfield resigned the position to fight the Sheffield Central at the 2010 general election, after long-serving MP Richard Caborn announced he would be standing down.

At the 2010 general election, Paul Blomfield was elected as the MP for Sheffield Central.

Paul Blomfield retained his seat at the 2015 general election with a majority of 17,309.

Paul Blomfield was re-elected as the MP for Sheffield Central in the 2019 general election with a majority of 27,273 He announced in February 2022 that he would not stand at the 2024 general election.

Paul Blomfield was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Hilary Benn, on 9 October 2010.

Paul Blomfield retained the role when Benn changed positions to become Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary in January 2011 and Shadow Foreign Secretary in June 2015.

Paul Blomfield resigned as a PPS shortly after Benn was sacked from the shadow cabinet in June 2016.

Paul Blomfield was appointed Shadow Minister for Exiting the European Union in October 2016.

Paul Blomfield was elected to sit on the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee between 2010 and 2016, and later became Secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Higher Education.

Paul Blomfield is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Students, which he founded, Co-Chair of the APPG for International Students, which he founded with Lord Bilimoria, and Secretary of the APPG for Universities.

Paul Blomfield served on the Higher Education and Research Bill Committee and was voted The Guardian's 'most inspiring leader in higher education' in 2015.

Paul Blomfield is Secretary of the APPG on Debt and Personal Finance.

Paul Blomfield introduced a High Cost Credit Bill into the House of Commons in July 2013 and co-ordinated a cross-party campaign, around a Charter to Stop the Payday Loan Rip-Off.

Paul Blomfield is a Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Choice at the End of Life.

Paul Blomfield is a member of Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East.

Paul Blomfield has been a long-standing opponent of tuition fees but has been a supporter of a graduate tax.

Paul Blomfield is a supporter of proportional representation, and is the Chair of the Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform.

Paul Blomfield became the Chair of Labour for Democracy, or Labour4Democracy, on 4 December 2012.

Paul Blomfield supported Ed Miliband in the 2010 Labour leadership election.

Paul Blomfield supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace Jeremy Corbyn in the 2016 Labour leadership election.

Paul Blomfield nominated Keir Starmer in the Labour leadership election.

Paul Blomfield says the current rules on assisted dying robbed them of time together.

Paul Blomfield is married to Linda McAvan, a former Labour Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire and the Humber.

Paul Blomfield underwent surgery to remove a benign brain tumour, a meningioma, in August 2011, going on to make a full recovery.

Paul Blomfield was diagnosed at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital within a week of noticing symptoms.