Jim Dickson (politician)
 |
Jim Dickson | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for Dartford | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Gareth Johnson |
| Leader of Lambeth Council | |
| In office September 1994 – March 2000 | |
| Preceded by | Mike Tuffrey |
| Succeeded by | Tom Franklin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Rowan Chatterton Dickson 16 January 1964 |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour Co-op |
| Spouse | Nicola Dickson |
| Alma mater | Jesus College, Cambridge |
James Rowan Chatterton Dickson (born 16 January 1964) is a British Labour Co-op politician who has served as the local Councillor for Herne Hill & Loughborough Junction for over 20 years, and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dartford since 2024. He was also Leader of Lambeth Council between 1994 and 2000.
At the 2024 general election, Dickson defeated Gareth Johnson of the Conservative Party in the traditionally bellwether seat, having worked and campaigned in the area over the previous two decades.
Early life and career
[edit]Dickson was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire, and Jesus College, Cambridge, where he read Social and Political Sciences.[1] Whilst at Cambridge he was elected as Chair of the Cambridge University Labour Club.[citation needed]
From 1989, Dickson worked for the London Housing Unit as a Senior Policy Officer for ten years.[citation needed]
In 1998 he was a Visiting Lecturer at the University of Westminster until 2000.[citation needed]
Between 2000 and 2003 he worked as an Associate for Weber Shandwick.[citation needed]
He previously worked for the consultancy firm Four Communications as Politics Director.[2][3] He is a member of the Association of Professional Political Consultants.[4]
Political career
[edit]Dickson was first elected as a Councillor for Herne Hill in the 1990 Lambeth London Borough Council election, and he became the Leader of Lambeth Council in 1994.[citation needed]
At the 2001 General Election he was Labour's candidate[5] in Old Bexley and Sidcup.
Dickson has held various cabinet positions on the Lambeth Borough Council (such as Voluntary and Community Sectors, Finance and Health and Social Care).[2][6][7]
He was leading Lambeth's Labour Group when it was praised as being "more New Labour than New Labour" by former Prime Minister Tony Blair.[8] He is a member of Progressive Britain.[4]
At the 2024 General Election, Dickson was elected as the MP for Dartford and has since been campaigning for the construction of a new Lower Thames Crossing in order to ease the gridlock issue Dartford suffers from as a result of M25 traffic passing through the Dartford Crossing. His policies also included 'Taking Pride in Dartford', an initiative to revitalise Dartford's high streets and cultural scene.
Jim Dickson is one of two Lambeth Councillors to have gone on to become Labour MP for Dartford, the first being his predecessor Jennie Adamson in 1938 - who had previously served on the London County Council for Lambeth North.
References
[edit]- ^ "Cambridge University Tripos results", The Times, 10 July 1986, p. 35.
- ^ a b "LinkedIn Profile".
- ^ "Profile on Four Communications website". Archived from the original on 16 January 2009. Retrieved 25 January 2009.
- ^ a b "Register of interests for Councillor Jim Dickson". beta.lambeth.gov.uk. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ Election result for Old Bexley and Sidcup in 2001
- ^ "The Cabinet | Lambeth Council". beta.lambeth.gov.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ "Lambeth Council announces its new Cabinet, 23rd April 2020". Brixton Buzz. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ "Labour urged to 'smear' Lib Dems". Independent.co.uk. 22 October 2011.