Stockton North Labour party select Chris McDonald as next candidate

Chris McDonald has been chosen to stand for election in Stockton North by local party members following the news that Alex Cunningham - who has represented the constituency since 2010 - will stand down at the end of this term.

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A chemical engineer, Mr McDonald has over 20 years' of experience working in the Teesside steel industry. He is CEO of the Materials Processing Institute and policy chair for Innovation and Enterprise for the Federation of Small Businesses

Speaking after his selection, Chris said: “I am truly honoured to have been selected by local members in Stockton North. The people of here deserve an MP that will carry on Alex Cunningham’s fantastic work, and fight for them every step of the way.

“I’m proud of Teesside and I want to take our battle to Westminster. where we need more working-class MPs, like me, with real-world experience.”

Chris McDonald with local party members after being selected as Labour's next Parliamentary candidate for Stockton North. (Image: Labour)

“Stockton has suffered as a result of the last 13 years of this Tory Government. The people I speak to every day are struggling. Struggling to feed their families, struggling to pay their energy bills. The North East has the highest rate of child poverty in the country, and that is unacceptable. We need change, we need a Labour Government," said the 46-year old.

“I’d also like to thank Alex Cunningham, for all he has achieved since being elected in 2010. His hard work for our town and Teesside more widely, shows just what a dedicated public servant he is.”

Social mobility was a clear priority for Mr McDonald as he speaks of the opportunities that he's had in his career on Teesside, “There were two big motivations for me to put myself forward. One was about creating opportunities for young people.

“I come from a working class background myself. Education and working in industry have really transformed my life.

“I came to work for British Steel who sponsored me to go to Cambridge University to study chemical engineering. It’s not an opportunity I would have otherwise had. I’ve really tried to pass that opportunity to others.

Chris McDonald wants others on Teesside to have the same career opportunities that he's had. (Image: Andrew Watson, Materials Processing Institute)

“But I worry that those opportunities aren’t available to young people now in the way they were 20-odd years ago. I’m concerned to ensure that those young people in Stockton North have the opportunity to get well-paid jobs, apprenticeships and further education and can live and work in Teesside.

“The second thing is I work in industry. This whole region has been built on and prospered as a result of industry and manufacturing, and our industry needs to transition to green industry.

“I want to see Billingham the green energy centre of the UK. But it will require investment from the government and from private industry to deliver that.

“It requires a different approach to manufacturing and industry that we haven’t seen in the UK for a long time. We need a proper industry strategy for the UK, and that will have a big impact on the lives of people in Stockton North."

Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald congratulated his namesake and praised the other candidates.

"Many congratulations to Chris McDonald on his selection to be Labour’s Stockton North candidate at the next general election," he said in a statement.

"It was a very healthy selection competition so thanks and congratulations go to all the excellent shortlisted candidates.  

"I have worked with Chris for many years and as well as being extremely able, hard-working and well-grounded, with his steel industry expertise, he’s an authoritative voice on industrial strategy which is so important to us on Teesside. 

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"He will make a superb representative in Parliament seamlessly picking up from the excellent Alex Cunningham when Alex retires at the next election.

"I am really looking forward to working with Chris to deliver a Labour government that our Teesside constituents so desperately need.” 

Stockton North has been held by Labour since the constituency was created in 1983; first by Frank Cook, and then by Mr Cunningham. Historically a safe Labour seat, the majority was reduced to 1,027 votes at the last election in 2019.