Tony Lloyd

Tony Lloyd has represented three different constituencies as an MP: Stretford (1983 to 1997), Manchester Central (1997 to 2012) and now Rochdale since 2017. In the 1980s, he was briefly an opposition whip and subsequently served a succession of shadow spokesperson roles on social security, transport, education, the environment and foreign affairs. Having been a powerful backbencher, Lloyd later became known as a “Brownite”. From 1997 to 1999, he served as a minister of state at the FCO. From 2002 to 2012, Lloyd chaired the Trade Union Group of Labour MPs. As chair of the PLP from 2006, he urged MPs to publish their expenses. In 2012, Lloyd stood down as an MP to become Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester, overseeing one of the largest forces in the country. The position was abolished in 2015 and Lloyd was appointed interim Mayor of Greater Manchester – despite having previously argued against the creation of regional mayors. In 2017, he rejoined the Commons serving as shadow housing minister, shadow Northern Ireland secretary and then shadow Scotland secretary. After being hospitalised with coronavirus, Lloyd stepped down from the frontbenches in order to focus on recovery and serve his constituency.