| Honorific suffix | MP |
|---|---|
| Office | Member of Parliament for East Worthing and Shoreham |
| Term start | 4 July 2024 |
| Predecessor | Tim Loughton |
| Majority | 9,519 (19.4%) |
| Office 1 | Member of Lambeth London Borough Council for Streatham Common and Vale |
| Term start 1 | 5 May 2022 |
| Term end 1 | 2 May 2024 |
| Birth name | Thomas William Rutland |
| Birth date | February 1992 (age 34–35) |
| Party | Labour |
| Alma mater | Jesus College, Oxford (BA) |
| Website | Official website |
Thomas William Rutland[1] (born February 1992) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for East Worthing and Shoreham since July 2024.[2]
Early life and education
Rutland was born in February 1992.[3] He was educated at The Skinners' School, an all-boys grammar school in Tunbridge Wells. He read philosophy, politics and economics (PPE) at Jesus College, Oxford between 2010 and 2013, graduating with an upper second class honours degree.[4][5] He was Junior Common Room president at Jesus College and subsequently president of Oxford University Student Union from 2013 to 2014.[6][7]
Early career
After university, Rutland worked on Tessa Jowell's unsuccessful 2015 campaign to be chosen as Labour's candidate for Mayor of London and then as a parliamentary researcher for Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis, a Labour member of the House of Lords.[8] From 2015 to 2016, he was an analyst at Deloitte.[9] He then worked as an executive support officer at Tower Hamlets London Borough Council from 2016 to 2017, and as a public affairs officer at Imperial College London from 2017 to 2019.[9][10] He has worked as a press officer for the Financial Conduct Authority, and the Prospect trade union.[11] He left Prospect in July 2024, having been elected an MP.[12]
Political career
Rutland was a councillor for Streatham Common and Vale ward on Lambeth London Borough Council from 2022 to 2024.[13]
In the 2024 general election Rutland was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for East Worthing and Shoreham, with 22,120 votes (45.1%) and a majority of 9,519 over the second-place Conservative candidate.[14] On 28 October 2024, he made his maiden speech in the House of Commons during a debate on Remembrance and Veterans.[15]
Rutland was elected as a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on 21 October 2024.[16]
On 11 May 2026, Rutland resigned as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Emma Reynolds, and called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign.[17]
Personal life
Rutland is gay,[18] and this led to his interest in politics as a teenager.[15]
References
- ^ "Members Sworn". Vol. 752. 10 July 2024.
- ^ Helm, Toby & Tapper, James (30 June 2024). "'People assume we will win by an absolute mile': Labour fears voter complacency". The Observer. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "Thomas William RUTLAND". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Companies House. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
- ^ "Former Jesus College students become new MPs". Jesus College, Oxford. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ "Tom Rutland". LinkedIn. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ "The OUSU Team: Tom Rutland". Cherwell. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ "It's not all Harry Potter and football for students' union". Oxford Mail. 8 October 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
- ^ Neame, Katie (27 October 2022). "Six make longlist in Wycombe parliamentary candidate selection". LabourList. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "Rutland, Tom, MP (Lab) East Worthing and Shoreham, since 2024". Who's Who 2025. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ Salhotra, Martha (25 February 2019). "Tom Rutland, Public Affairs Officer, Communications and Public Affairs". Imperial people. Imperial College London. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^
- ^ "Register of Interests for Tom Rutland". members.parliament.uk. UK Parliament. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "Lambeth Labour Party profile". Lambeth Labour Party. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
- ^ "East Worthing and Shoreham - General election results 2024". BBC News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "Remembrance and Veterans". Vol. 755. 28 October 2024.
I think everyone in this place had that moment when they switched on to politics and realised the difference that it could make. For me, it was realising as a teenager that I was gay
- ^ "Contact information for Tom Rutland - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament". members.parliament.uk. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ^ "First member of government resigns in call for Starmer to quit A junior member of the government has resigned and called for Sir Keir Starmer to stand down.". Sky News. 11 May 2026.
- ^ "Imperial 600: Tom Rutland". Imperial College London. 2019. Archived 28 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 18 December 2024.