Alex Cunningham
Encyclopedia
Alexander Cunningham (born 1 May 1955) is a British Labour Party
politician. He was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Stockton North.
He was educated at Branksome
Comprehensive School, and the Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
. He later attended the town's Darlington
Technical College where he was awarded a certificate in journalism in 1976.
in 1974. In 1976 he moved to the Hartlepool Mail
. After a year, he joined Radio Tees
. In 1979, he joined The Evening Gazette
, where he remained for five years, when his career moved with British Gas
as a press officer. In 1995 he joined Transco (later National Grid plc
) as a communications adviser, becoming head of communications after five years before leaving in 2002. Since 2002 he has been the managing director of Tees Valley Communicators.
Council in 1984, becoming the vice chairman of the committee, he served on the council until 1997. He has been a member of Stockton Borough
Council since 1999. He served as the north eastern chairman of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
, 2002-08.
He was very active in the Stockton North Constituency Labour Party, as the press officer from 1984–2010, vice chairman and secretary, 1985–95, and its chairman, 1995-2000.
He has been a member of the Co-operative Party since 1986.
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician. He was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Stockton North.
He was educated at Branksome
Branksome, County Durham
Branksome is a suburb of Darlington in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the north-west of the town, close to Mowden, Cockerton, West Park and Faverdale....
Comprehensive School, and the Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College
Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, or QE, is a sixth form college on Vane Terrace in Darlington, County Durham, England.-History:It was established in 1970 on the site of the old Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, designed by George Gordon Hoskins...
. He later attended the town's Darlington
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, part of the ceremonial county of County Durham, England. It lies on the small River Skerne, a tributary of the River Tees, not far from the main river. It is the main population centre in the borough, with a population of 97,838 as of 2001...
Technical College where he was awarded a certificate in journalism in 1976.
Career
A career journalist, joining the Darlington & Stockton TimesDarlington & Stockton Times
The Darlington & Stockton Times also known as the D&S Times is a regional weekly newspaper serving the north-east of England. The paper is based in Priestgate, Darlington....
in 1974. In 1976 he moved to the Hartlepool Mail
Hartlepool Mail
The Hartlepool Mail is a newspaper serving Hartlepool and the surrounding area. It has an average daily circulation of 14,198.The paper was founded in Hartlepool in 1877 as The Northern Daily Mail and continued to be printed in the town until August 2006, when the printing staff were told they...
. After a year, he joined Radio Tees
Radio Tees
Radio Tees was the original name of TFM Radio, the Independent Local Radio station broadcasting in North East England, serving Teesside and parts of County Durham and North Yorkshire....
. In 1979, he joined The Evening Gazette
Evening Gazette (Teesside)
The Evening Gazette is a newspaper serving the Teesside area of England. It is published by the Gazette Media Company Ltd, which is a regional arm of the Trinity Mirror group. The Evening Gazette is written and published in Middlesbrough, along with many other publications...
, where he remained for five years, when his career moved with British Gas
British Gas plc
British Gas plc was formerly the monopoly gas supplier and is a private sector in the United Kingdom.- History :In the early 1900s the gas market in the United Kingdom was mainly run by county councils and small private firms...
as a press officer. In 1995 he joined Transco (later National Grid plc
National Grid plc
National Grid plc is a multinational electricity and gas utility company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Its principal activities are in the United Kingdom and northeastern United States and it is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world.National Grid is listed on...
) as a communications adviser, becoming head of communications after five years before leaving in 2002. Since 2002 he has been the managing director of Tees Valley Communicators.
Politics
He was elected as a councillor to Cleveland CountyCleveland, England
Cleveland is an area in the north east of England. Its name means literally "cliff-land", referring to its hilly southern areas, which rise to nearly...
Council in 1984, becoming the vice chairman of the committee, he served on the council until 1997. He has been a member of Stockton Borough
Stockton-on-Tees (borough)
Stockton-on-Tees is a unitary authority area and borough in the Tees Valley area of north east England, with a population in 2001 of 178,408, rising to 185,880 in 2005 estimates....
Council since 1999. He served as the north eastern chairman of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council is a non-departmental public body in England and a registered charity with a remit to promote improvement and innovation in the area of museums, libraries and archives...
, 2002-08.
He was very active in the Stockton North Constituency Labour Party, as the press officer from 1984–2010, vice chairman and secretary, 1985–95, and its chairman, 1995-2000.
He has been a member of the Co-operative Party since 1986.