Justin Tomlinson

Justin Tomlinson is the minister of state for disabled people and was first elected as the Conservative MP for North Swindon in 2010, having unsuccessfully contested the seat in the 2005 general election. While studying business at Oxford Brookes University, Tomlinson was chair of the Conservative Student Branch. He made a bet that he would become prime minister before 2038 and stands to win £500,000 if he is successful. He took North Swindon at the 2010 general election on a swing of 10.1 per cent with a majority of 7,061. In his first term, he sat on the Consolidation Bills and the Public Accounts Committee. Tomlinson was commended by road safety charity Brake and Direct Line Group after he put forward the Graduated Driving Licence Scheme Bill in 2013. Tomlinson said of the bill: “Not only will it improve safety, but it will also bring down sky-high insurance premiums for young drivers.” Following the 2015 general election, Tomlinson was appointed as the parliamentary under-secretary of state for disabled people. He returned to the backbenches after Theresa May became prime minister but in 2018 was re-appointed as parliamentary under-secretary at the Department for Work and Pensions. In April 2019 was appointed to his current position as minister of state for disabled people, health and work in the Department for Work and Pensions. Tomlinson voted to leave the EU during the 2016 referendum and supported Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement, while also voting in favour of a no-deal Brexit in a series of indicative votes.