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Holly Lynch

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Holly Lynch
MP
Official Parliamentary portrait, June 2017
Shadow Minister for Flooding & Coastal Communities
In office
3 July 2017 – 30 July 2018
LeaderJeremy Corbyn
Member of Parliament
for Halifax
Assumed office
7 May 2015
Preceded byLinda Riordan
Majority5,376 (11.1%)
Personal details
Born (1986-10-08) 8 October 1986 (age 37)
Halifax, England
Political partyLabour
SpouseChris Walker
Alma materLancaster University
WebsiteOfficial website

Holly Lynch (born 8 October 1986), also known as Holly Walker-Lynch, is a British Labour politician. She was first elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Halifax at the 2015 general election.[1]

Lynch was given just over six weeks to retain the marginal seat of Halifax for Labour having been selected as the party's candidate only at the end of March 2015.[2]

Labour's search for a new candidate was triggered by the decision of sitting MP Linda Riordan in February to stand down on health grounds.[3] Her decision, and Lynch's subsequent selection, set up one of the most closely fought contests in Yorkshire in the election.

Riordan had held Halifax for Labour in 2010 by a majority of just 1,472 votes, and the seat was considered a key target for the Conservative Party.[4] Lynch was successful on election night and held the Halifax seat for Labour with a majority of only 428 votes over the Conservative candidate.[5]

In the 2017 general election, Lynch increased her majority to 5,376 (11.1% of those voting) over the Conservative candidate, Chris Pearson.[6]

Early life

Lynch was born in Halifax and grew up in Northowram. She then attended Brighouse High School and studied Politics and History at Lancaster University.[7] She worked in a fast food outlet in Halifax town centre, before joining a small local business involved in exporting Halifax goods around the world.[7]

Political career

Lynch made her maiden speech in the House of Commons on 9 June 2015.[8] She stated her priorities as being Human Rights, the UK's relations with Europe and the protection of services at Calderdale Royal Hospital.[9]

Lynch was a member of the Environmental Audit Committee from July to October 2015 and was appointed to the Procedure Committee in February 2016.[10] Lynch was appointed as an Opposition Whip in the Commons on 18 September 2015.

Lynch is the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fairtrade[11] and a Co-Chair of the British Museum group and Population, Development and Reproductive Health group.[9]

Lynch has also been a member of All-Party Parliamentary Groups on Migration, Britain-Palestine, Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East, Art and Health, Kashmir, Policing and Rugby Union.[9]

Following the October Shadow Cabinet reshuffle and the firing of Dame Rosie Winterton as Chief Whip, Walker-Lynch resigned as a whip.[12]

She was reappointed to the front bench by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on 3 July 2017, taking on the role of Shadow Flooding & Coastal Communities Minister within the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs team.[13][14]

Personal life

Lynch married Chris Walker in December 2014.[15]

Lynch is a former rugby union player for both Lancaster University and Halifax Vandals and has talked of her desire to encourage others to take up the sport.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Halifax". BBC News. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  2. ^ "Thrown in at the deepend in one of country's key marginals". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Halifax MP Linda Riordan to stand down at general election". BBC News. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Halifax is 'Tories' key target seat'". Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  5. ^ "Labour retain Halifax seat... just". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  6. ^ "Halifax". BBC News. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  7. ^ a b "About – Holly Lynch MP". hollylynch.org.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  8. ^ "European Union Referendum Bill: Part of the debate – in the House of Commons". www.theyworkforyou.com. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  9. ^ a b c "In Parliament – Holly Lynch MP". hollylynch.org.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  10. ^ "Holly Lynch MP". UK Parliament. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  11. ^ "House of Commons – Register Of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 3 February 2016: Fairtrade". www.publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  12. ^ "Two Labour MPs resign as whips after Rosie Winterton sacking". The Guardian. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  13. ^ "Reshuffle 2: The Maintenance of the Malcontents". New Socialist. 8 July 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  14. ^ "David Drew MP to oversee waste and recycling for Labour - letsrecycle.com". letsrecycle.com. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  15. ^ "Labour candidate Holly Walker-Lynch proud to be fighting for Halifax seat". Halifax Courier. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  16. ^ "VIDEO: World Cup comes to town – Halifax Courier". halifaxcourier.co.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Halifax
2015–present 		Incumbent
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