Michael Douglas Thornton[1] (born 1 May 1952)[2] is a British politician and former Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Eastleigh in Hampshire. He was elected at the Eastleigh by-election held on 28 February 2013, a seat which he lost at the 2015 general election.
Mike Thornton | |
|---|---|
 Thornton at the Liberal Democrat conference in the Hilton Brighton Metropole, 2013 | |
| Member of Parliament for Eastleigh | |
| In office 28 February 2013 – 30 March 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Chris Huhne |
| Succeeded by | Mims Davies |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Douglas Thornton 1 May 1952 Farnham, Surrey, England |
| Political party | Liberal Democrats |
| Spouse | Peta Thornton |
| Children | One daughter |
| Alma mater | Charterhouse School Manchester Metropolitan University |
Early life
editThe son of Sir Peter Eustace Thornton, Thornton grew up in Farnham in Surrey and was educated at Charterhouse School, before reading law at Manchester Polytechnic. He has had a range of jobs, including spells in the United States (his mother is from Tennessee). Thornton spent a significant period of time working in financial services.
He has lived in Bishopstoke, a part of Eastleigh borough, since 1994.[3] He has variously been a Bishopstoke parish councillor,[4] an Eastleigh borough councillor[5] and a Hampshire county councillor,[6] for wards within or containing Bishopstoke.
Parliamentary career
editFollowing the resignation of the previous Liberal Democrat MP Chris Huhne, Thornton was chosen as their candidate at the 2013 Eastleigh by-election to replace him. This took place on 28 February 2013 and Thornton was declared the winner in the early hours of 1 March.[7]
In Parliament, Thornton joined the European Scrutiny Committee, the Work and Pensions Committee and the Bill committee for HS2,[8] which he argued "would benefit the country as a whole, not just the cities that link to it".[9]
His defeat at the 2015 general election was unexpected.[citation needed] Although he only defended a small numerical majority of 1,771, the Eastleigh constituency was otherwise a stronghold, with the Liberal Democrats holding almost every seat on the council for many years. During the 2013 by-election it had been reported that whilst the local Liberal Democrats commanded a vast database of supporters on the ground that enabled them to get their vote out, the local Tory organisation in the constituency was practically non-existent. Indeed, at the 2013 by-election, the Conservatives had been beaten into third place by UKIP.
References
edit- ^ "Eastleigh Parliamentary By-Election 2013 Result". Eastleigh Borough Council. 1 March 2013. Archived from the original on 26 June 2013.
- ^ "Mike Thornton Liberal Democrats". Southern Daily Echo. 24 February 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
- ^ "Councillors". Bishopstoke Parish Council. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ "Bishopstoke PC profile". Bishopstokepc.hampshire.org.uk. Archived from the original on 5 June 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ "Profile on Council web site". Eastleigh.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 10 May 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
- ^ "Councillor Mike Thornton". Hampshire County Council. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- ^ Wintour, Patrick; Morris, Steven (1 March 2013). "Lib Dems hold off Ukip surge as Tories drop to third in Eastleigh byelection". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
- ^ "Mike Thornton". Parliament UK. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- ^ "HS2: Cameron hails 'vital programme' as MPs approve funding". BBC. 31 October 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2015.