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John Whitby

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John Whitby
Member of Parliament
for Derbyshire Dales
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded bySarah Dines
Personal details
Born1965 or 1966 (age 57–58)[1]
Political partyLabour

John Whitby is a British politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Derbyshire Dales since 2024. A member of the Labour Party, he gained the seat from Sarah Dines, a member of the Conservative Party.[2]

Early Life

At 21 he was living in Allestree, and was working on an Enterprise Allowance Scheme in Derby.[1]

Music

Whitby was the lead singer in the Derby Progressive rock band The Beyond.[3][4] The band was described as a fusion of funk and metal.[5] He was recruited by the bands founders guitarist Andy Gatford and drummer Neil Cooper, with whom he'd been school friends.[5] After that band ended he, along with many of his band mates, would form the band Gorilla.[6][7] In 2018, while a Whitby was a mayor, the band would play a reunion gig, raising thousands for charity.[8]

Politics

After music Whitby joined the civil service.[9] He became a councillor on Derby City Council in the early 2010s. In May 2017 he was made Mayor of Derby, a position which is held for a yea, during which he raised £64,000 for charity. Despite it being being noted that he was popular, even with opposition parties, he lost his seat just before the end of his term.[10]

In the 2024 United Kingdom general election, he stood for the Derbyshire Dales, on contest that he won with a majority of over 17,000.[11][12]

Personal life

He is a foster carer.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b Sassi, Michael (27 April 1990). "Rock Success made in Derby". Evening Telegraph. p. 15. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Derbyshire Dales | General Election 2024". Sky News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  3. ^ Curtain, Peter (11 September 1990). "Heavy Metal Maestro Turns to Opera". Evening Telegraph. p. 44. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Mayor to join former band The Beyond to raise money for charity". Derbyshire Live. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b "The Beyond Back on Home Front". Evening Telegraph. 17 August 1993. p. 22. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  6. ^ Day, Eleanor (29 October 1997). "Gorilla play live at Virgin". Evening Telegraph. p. 15. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Sheldon's Sounds". The Derby Express. 19 October 1995. p. 27. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  8. ^ Harper, Christopher (17 February 2018). "Watch the Mayor of Derby as he rocks out with his former band". Derbyshire Live. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  9. ^ a b Cooper, Jon (28 June 2024). "Derbyshire Dales General Election candidates have their say on the campaign trail". Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  10. ^ Hawley, Zena (23 May 2018). "Was John Whitby the coolest Mayor of Derby ever?". Derbyshire Live. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  11. ^ Bisoni, Irene; Corbett, Louis Dargavel; Hawley, Zena; Allen, George; Slater, Nigel; Hennessy, Peter; Fisher, Oscar (5 July 2024). "Derby and Derbyshire election results as Labour dominate". Derbyshire Live. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  12. ^ Hardwick, Tom (5 July 2024). "Sarah Dines "disappointed" as Derbyshire Dales swings to Labour – with every seat in the county turning red amid Tory electoral wipeout". Retrieved 6 July 2024.