Dean Russell

Dean Russell was born on 8 May 1976 in Birmingham and attended Park Hall School in Castle Bromwich. He later graduated with a BSc in Physics and Business Studies and an MPhil in Physics and Material Science at the former polytechnic De Montfort University. He then worked in marketing with Bluewave.{{Cite web|url=https://www.watfordconservatives.org.uk/people/dean-russell|title=Dean Russell|website=Watford|date=6 January 2020 }}

At the 2015 general election, Russell stood in Luton North, coming second with 29.9% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins.{{cite web |title=Election Data 2015 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-date=17 October 2015 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}} He stood in Luton South at the snap 2017 general election, coming second with 32.3% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Gavin Shuker.{{Cite web |title=General election results 2017 |url=https://m.luton.gov.uk/Page/Show/Council_government_and_democracy/Local-democracy/voting-and-elections/previous-elections/generalelectionresults/Pages/general-election-results-2017.aspx |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=m.luton.gov.uk}}

Russell was elected to Parliament as MP for Watford at the 2019 general election with 45.5% of the vote and a majority of 4,433.{{cite news |title=Watford Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14001021 |access-date=19 November 2019 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC}}

Since being elected, Russell has become a member of the Health & Social Care Select Committee and the Joint Committee on Human Rights.[https://members.parliament.uk/member/4812/career Dean Russell MP – Parliamentary Career]. UK Parliament. In October 2021, the Speaker of the House Sir Lindsay Hoyle appointed Russell as the Chair of the Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art.[https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/301/speakers-advisory-committee-on-works-of-art/news/158218/dean-russell-mp-selected-as-chair-of-the-speakers-advisory-committee-on-works-of-art/ Dean Russell MP selected as Chair of the Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art]. UK Parliament In November 2021, he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.{{Cite web |title=List of Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPS): December 2021 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/list-of-parliamentary-private-secretaries-pps-december-2021 |access-date=2022-07-01 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}

In June 2021, Russell presented the Tips Bill to Parliament. This bill would prohibit employers retaining tips and gratuities intended for staff and make provision about the division of tips and gratuities between staff. The bill was withdrawn before its Second Reading.[https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2945 Tips Bill – Private Members' Bill (Presentation Bill)]. UK Parliament. In June 2022, after the Business Minister, Paul Scully, reassured Russell in Parliament that the UK Government would still support his bill,[https://hansard.parliament.uk//Commons/2022-05-12/debates/8DAC81EE-07A4-4C4F-B7B4-4994AEF73773/FairnessAtWorkAndPowerInCommunitieshighlight=tips#contribution-417AFFEC-FCEE-4343-A09F-0B07D3BCD836 Fairness at Work and Power in Communities – Volume 714: debated on Thursday 12 May 2022]. Hansard. Russell presented the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill to Parliament. The bill was immediately granted a second reading in the House of Commons on 15 July 2022.[https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3197 Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill – Private Members' Bill (Ballot Bill)]. UK Parliament.

Between 2019 and 2021, Russell sat on the public committee during the committee stage of the Telecommunications (Security) Bill on its passage through the House of Commons. The Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 was given royal assent on 17 November 2021.[https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2806 Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 – Government Bill]. UK Parliament.

On two separate occasions (March 2021 and January 2023) Russell has introduced a First-Aid (Mental Health) Bill under the Ten Minute Rule to make mental health first-aid part of first-aid training requirements in workplaces.{{cite web |url=https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2847 |title=First-Aid (Mental Health) Bill |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=20 May 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3409 |title=First-Aid (Mental Health) Bill |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=20 May 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1819214/mental-health-first-aid-bill-cause-unintended-negative-consequences-experts-warn |title=Mental health first aid bill could cause unintended and negative consequences, experts warn |publisher=People Management |access-date=20 May 2024}}

In the 2024 UK General Election, Russell was defeated by Labour's Matt Turmaine by 4,723 votes.

He married Michelle in 2004 with whom he has a daughter.

In Prime Ministers Questions in January 2024, Russell shared how he had experienced a heart attack at the age of 47. He claims he recognised the symptoms due to his experience campaigning for the British Heart Foundation in 2009.{{Cite news |date=2024-01-18 |title=Watford MP urges better awareness after surviving heart attack |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-68007667 |access-date=2024-07-07 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

Russell has written five books.

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Category:1976 births

Category:Living people

Category:UK MPs 2019–2024