Kate Alexandra Dearden (born April 1994) is an English

Labour and Co-operative Labour and Co-operative Party (often abbreviated to Labour Co-op; ) is a description used by candidates in United Kingdom elections who stand on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party. Candidates contest elections under an e ...

politician who has served as Member of Parliament for Halifax since

2024 The year saw the list of ongoing armed conflicts, continuation of major armed conflicts, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Myanmar civil war (2021–present), Myanmar civil war, the Sudanese civil war (2023–present), Sudane ...

. She previously worked for the Community Trade Union.

Early life and career

Dearden was born and raised in

Bingley Bingley is a market town and civil parish in the metropolitan borough of the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It is sited on the River Aire and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The town had a population of 18,040 at the United Kingdom ...

West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a Metropolitan counties of England, metropolitan and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and east, South Yorkshire and De ...

, and attended St Bede’s and St Joseph’s Catholic College in

Bradford Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...

. She studied for MA (Hons) International Relations at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

, where she was Chair of Edinburgh Labour Students and campaigned for equal marriage in Scotland. During her third year at university, Dearden worked as a Campaign Organiser for Ian Murray MP, before working for Kezia Dugdale MSP (then Leader of the Opposition in the Scottish Parliament and Member of Scottish Parliament for

Lothian Lothian (; ; ) is a region of the Scottish Lowlands, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills and the Moorfoot Hills. The principal settlement is the Scottish capital, Edinburgh, while other signific ...

) in her fourth year. After graduating, Dearden served as Chair of the National Labour Students Committee until June 2017, having begun working as a Campaigns Officer for the Labour Party in April. Whilst Chair of the Labour Students, Dearden launched training against antisemitism at the

Oxford University Labour Club Oxford University Labour Club (OULC), was founded in 1919 to promote democratic socialism and is today the home of the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party and of social democracy at Oxford University. The club caters for any students who are intere ...

. Dearden worked for Community Union from 2017 - 2024. Beginning as a Research and Campaigns Officer in October 2017, Dearden was then promoted to be Head of Research, Policy & External Relations in January 2020.

Parliamentary career

Dearden attempted to stand as a candidate in the 2022 Wakefield by-election, but was not selected. Dearden was elected as Member of Parliament for Halifax in the

2024 United Kingdom general election The 2024 United Kingdom general election was held on Thursday, 4 July 2024 to elect all 650 members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons. The opposition Labour Party (UK), Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, won a lan ...

, succeeding the former Labour MP for Halifax,

Holly Lynch Holly Lynch (born 8 October 1986), also known as Holly Walker-Lynch, is a British Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Halifax from 2015 to 2024. Early life Lynch was born in Halifax, Calderdale, West Yorkshir ...

, who stood down. Dearden was appointed Assistant

Whip A whip is a blunt weapon or implement used in a striking motion to create sound or pain. Whips can be used for flagellation against humans or animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain, or be used as an audible cue thro ...

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

on 18 July 2024. From 2025, she has offered cost of living advice surgeries to her constituents.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dearden, Kate Living people 1994 births Labour Co-operative MPs for English constituencies 21st-century British women politicians British women trade unionists Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies UK MPs 2024–present