Nick Thomas-Symonds

Nick Thomas-Symonds
MP FRHistS
Shadow Solicitor General for England and Wales
Assumed office
9 October 2016
Leader Jeremy Corbyn
Preceded by Jo Stevens
Shadow Employment Minister
In office
11 January 2016  27 June 2016
Preceded by Emily Thornberry
Succeeded by TBD
Shadow Pensions Minister
In office
17 September 2015  11 January 2016
Preceded by Gregg McClymont
Succeeded by Angela Rayner
Member of Parliament
for Torfaen
Assumed office
8 May 2015
Preceded by Paul Murphy
Majority 8,169 (21.5%)
Personal details
Born (1980-05-26) 26 May 1980
Blaenavon, Torfaen
Political party Labour
Spouse(s) Rebecca Nelson
Alma mater St Edmund Hall, Oxford

Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds, FRHistS (born 1980) is a British Labour Party politician, barrister, and academic. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Torfaen since May 2015.[1] Before entering Parliament, he was a chancery and commercial barrister at Civitas Law.[2][3] Author of "Attlee: A Life in Politics". Author of "Nye: The Political Life of Aneurin Bevan."

Early life and education

Thomas-Symonds was born in Panteg Hospital, Griffithstown, Torfaen, and was brought up in Blaenavon. He attended St. Felix R.C. Primary School, Blaenavon, and St. Alban's R.C. High School, Pontypool. He then studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St Edmund Hall, Oxford between 1998 and 2001.[4]

Career

In October 2004, Thomas-Symonds was called to the bar by Lincoln's Inn.[4] He was a barrister specialising in chancery and commercial law, and received numerous accolades for his work. In December 2009, he was awarded a "Red Bag" by Leading Counsel for his work. By 2011, he was already noted as 'a great asset' as a junior in the Court of Appeal by the Legal 500.[5] He regularly featured in Chambers and Partners as a “Leader in the Field” and was identified as a "rising star on the Wales and Chester [legal] circuit".[4] In Chambers and Partners 2016 he was described as “absolutely brilliant”.[6]

Academic career

Thomas-Symonds was appointed a college tutor at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, at the age of 21 and became Lecturer in Politics at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, teaching British Politics and Government since 1900; Modern British Government and Politics; Government and Politics of Europe; and Government and Politics of the United States. He taught for other Oxford colleges, including Harris Manchester College. He also taught US Politics on the Oxford Department of Continuing Education’s 'Foundations of Diplomacy' course.[7] He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 2012.

Political career

Thomas-Symonds was selected as prospective Labour parliamentary candidate for Torfaen on 7 March 2015 and subsequently won the seat in the General Election on 7 May 2015. He made his maiden speech on 28 May 2015, without notes. Chris Bryant MP said he had delivered the speech “with panache”.

After a brief stint on the Justice Select Committee, he was appointed Shadow Pensions Minister on 17 September 2015 before being promoted to Shadow Employment Minister on 11 January 2016. He resigned the role of Shadow Employment Minister on 27 June 2016.

Nick Thomas-Symonds was drawn in the ballot for a Private Members’ Bill on 4 June 2015 and introduced the Off-Patent Drugs Bill. This ran out of time at Second Reading on 6 November 2015,[8] but substantial parts of the Bill were later incorporated into the Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill on 29 January 2016.[9]

On 8 December 2015, Nick Thomas-Symonds was chosen as “Member to Watch” at the Welsh Politician of the Year Awards.[10]

Selected works

Articles

References

  1. "Torfaen". bbc.co.uk.
  2. Simmons, Richard (10 April 2015). "City solicitors, a 22-year old UKIP law grad and a barrister standing for the Whigs: the legal profession's MP hopefuls". Lawyer 2B. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  3. "Profile: Nick Thomas-Symonds". Civitas Law. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 "Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds". St Edmund Hall. University of Oxford. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  5. "Nick Thomas-Symonds | St Edmund Hall | ZoomInfo.com". zoominfo.com. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  6. "News | Civitas - Civil and Public Law Barristers Cardiff". civitaslaw.com. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  7. "Home | St Edmund Hall". seh.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  8. "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 06 Nov 2015 (pt 0002)". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  9. "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 29 Jan 2016 (pt 0001)". publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  10. "Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood named Welsh Politician of the Year | Wales - ITV News". itv.com. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Paul Murphy
Member of Parliament
for Torfaen

2015–present
Incumbent
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