Alice Macdonald (born 1 April 1983) is a British Labour and Co-operative Party politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Norwich North since 2024. She is the daughter of former West Norfolk Council Labour leader Irene Macdonald.[1][2]
Alice Macdonald | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for Norwich North | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Chloe Smith |
| Majority | 10,850 (23.7%) |
| Member of Southwark London Borough Council for Newington | |
| In office 7 May 2018 – 29 June 2023 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 April 1983 Norwich, Norfolk, England |
| Political party | Labour and Co-operative |
| Parent(s) | Irene[1] and John[citation needed] Macdonald |
| Education | |
Early life and education
editMacdonald grew up in Marham and attended the Downham Market comprehensive high school, then commuted to a sixth form in Cambridge.[3] She studied French and Italian at the University of Bristol in 2005, then went on to study a Master of the Arts in International Studies and Diplomacy at SOAS University of London, where she graduated in 2007.[4][5]
Pre-Parliamentary career
editLocal politics
editMacdonald served as a councillor in the Newington ward of Southwark from 7 May 2018 to 29 June 2023.[6] On 25 July 2022 she was announced as the official Labour parliamentary candidate for Norwich North. She has also served as a senior adviser to Harriet Harman and Bob Ainsworth.[7]
Charity campaigning
editMacdonald was Campaigns and Policy Director for London-based company Project Everyone between August 2016 and April 2023.[8] Project Everyone was co-founded by Richard Curtis and is dedicated to "achieving sustainable development goals" via "campaign materials, [...] installations, [...] documentaries, [and] events".[9] Macdonald also served as Campaign Director for Hungry for Action Campaign, who aim to spotlight the global food crisis, but resigned from this position upon becoming MP.[10]
Appointments
editMacdonald was a Director of the Potter Fields Park Management Trust, a not-for-profit organisation that manages events and maintenance for a park and a churchyard in Southwark.[11] The appointment lasted from 21 July 2021 until 28 November 2022, when she resigned from her position.[12]
Parliamentary career
editIn 2022, Macdonald announced she would be standing for the Labour parliamentary candidacy against Karen Davis, who stood in the 2019 general election against Conservative incumbent Chloe Smith. In response to a video by Macdonald supporting her own candidacy, Emma Corlett, the deputy leader of Norfolk County Council, remarked: "This video literally uses photos from Karen Davis' campaign on holiday hunger and has you walking past the Vote Labour boards she and I put up with our bare (splintered) hands."[1]
Macdonald was elected to represent Norwich North at the 2024 general election. She received 20,794 votes, a 45.4% share of the vote and a majority of 10,850. There were six candidates and a turnout of 62%.[13]
The result was a 18.2% swing to Labour from 2019. The unpopularity of the Conservatives in her area was the deciding factor in a result that also saw significant vote share increase for Reform and The Green Party.
References
edit- ^ a b c "Row erupts in Labour process to pick candidate to fight Norwich North". Norwich Evening News. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "'A bold vision of hope' - Labour candidate's plan to win Norwich seat". Norwich Evening News. 2022-08-03. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ "Alice Macdonald elected as Labour MP in Norwich North". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "Alice Macdonald for Norwich North". Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "Alice Macdonald: Labour and Co-operative Parliamentary Candidate for Norwich North and Campaign Director Hungry for Action". Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "Councillor details - Councillor Alice Macdonald - Southwark Council". Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "Our rundown of Labour parliamentary selections over the weekend". 25 July 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "Project Everyone Overview". Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "About Us - Project Everyone". Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "SDG2 Advocacy Hub: Hungry for Action". Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ "About Us". Potters Fields Park. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
- ^ "Alice MACDONALD". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
- ^ "Norwich North - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 11 August 2024.