Josh MacAlister
OfficeParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families
Term start7 September 2025
Prime ministerKeir Starmer
PredecessorJanet Daby
Office 10Member of Parliament
for Whitehaven and Workington
Term start 104 July 2024
Predecessor 10Constituency established
Birth dateMarch 1987 (age 39–40)
PartyLabour
Majority 1013,286 (31.7%)
SpouseMatthew Hood

Joshua MacAlister[1] (born March 1987) is a British Labour politician and former teacher who has been Member of Parliament for Whitehaven and Workington since 2024.[2][3] He has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families since 2025.[4]

Early life and education

MacAlister's father worked as a social worker.[5]

MacAlister attained an MA (Hons) in politics and social policy at the University of Edinburgh. MacAlister served as President of the Edinburgh University Students’ Association.[6] In 2008, he unsuccessfully contested the Presidency of the National Union of Students Scotland.

MacAlister also studied for, and received, a masters degree in leadership in education at the University of Manchester.[7]

Professional life

Education

MacAlister trained as a teacher through the Teach First Programme and went on to teach citizenship for three and a half years at schools in Oldham.[8]

During his time as a teacher, MacAlister began to engage with young people with experience of the care system. These experiences led MacAlister to establish Frontline, a graduate social worker training programme modelled on Teach First, in 2013.[5] The first cohort began their training the following year.[7]

In 2019, the Department for Education provided Frontline with £45 million in funding.[9]

Independent Review of Children's Social Care

In January 2021 MacAlister stepped down from his role at Frontline in order to chair an independent review of children's social care.[9] MacAlister's appointment was criticized by some social work academics who questioned whether he could be impartial given that Frontline had received central government funding.[9]

In June 2021, the review published its interim findings. In October 2021 the review published a second report in response to the feedback received on the interim report. The final report of the review was published in May 2022.[10]

Awards

MacAlister was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the King's 2023 New Year's Honours for services to vulnerable children.[11]

Member of Parliament

In June 2023, MacAlister was selected as the Labour Party's candidate for the newly created constituency of Whitehaven and Workington.[12]

At the 2024 general election, MacAlister was elected as the Member of Parliament for Whitehaven and Workington. MacAlister was elected with 53% of the vote and a majority of over 13,000 votes.[13]

Personal life

In 2023 MacAlister joined his local mountain rescue team.[14] In July 2024, shortly after being elected as an MP, MacAlister was called out to a mountain rescue.[15]

In 2024, PinkNews listed him as an out LGBTQ+ parliamentarian.[16] He is married to educationalist Matthew Hood.[17]

References

  1. ^ "Members Sworn". Vol. 752. 10 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Whitehaven and Workington | General Election 2024". Sky News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  3. ^ Jenkinson, Lucy (5 July 2024). "Josh MacAlister elected as first MP for Whitehaven and Workington". News and Star. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Ministerial appointments: September 2025". GOV.UK. 11 September 2025. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  5. ^ Brindle, David (11 September 2013). "Frontline founder: 'Social work needs life-changing professionals'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  6. ^ Dickinson, Jim (1 July 2024). "The former student leaders entering Parliament". Wonkhe. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Josh MacAlister". IPPR. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  8. ^ Whittaker, Freddie (14 July 2025). "Profile: Josh MacAlister | MP for Whitehaven and Workington". Schools Week. Archived 4 August 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  9. ^ Proctor, Kate (22 January 2021). "A Row Has Broken Out Over The Independence of a Major Review Into Children in Care". Politics Home. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  10. ^ Foster, David & Lewis, Anastasia (18 November 2022). "The independent review of Children's social care: Debate Pack". House of Commons Library. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  11. ^ Dempsey, Bridget (30 December 2023). "Frontline founder recognised in New Year's Honours List for 2024". Whitehaven News. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  12. ^ "Josh MacAlister selected as Labour parliamentary candidate". Social Work News. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  13. ^ "Labour seizes Cumbria winning five of six seats". BBC News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  14. ^ Edwards, Lucy (2 February 2023). "Cumbrian man behind £200 million plan to fix children's social care". Cumbria Crack. Barrnon Media. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  15. ^ Bedendo, Federica (11 July 2024). "MP Josh MacAlister called to Cumbria mountain rescue after election win". BBC News. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  16. ^ Reynolds, Andrew (5 July 2024). "Number of out LGBTQ+ MPS falls following election". Pink News. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  17. ^ Dickens, John (2 October 2019). "Matt Hood to leave Ambition Institute role". Schools Week. Education Scape. Retrieved 10 February 2025.