Paul Williams (Labour politician)

Williams was born on 23 August 1972 in Canterbury, Kent, England.{{cite web|title=Paul Williams MP|url=http://myparliament.info/Member/4666|publisher=MyParliament|access-date=15 August 2017|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916053421/http://myparliament.info/Member/4666|archive-date=16 September 2017}} His parents worked as a teacher and a nurse. His early education was at the Queen's School, Wisbech (now Thomas Clarkson Academy) in Cambridgeshire. He began to support the Labour Party during the UK miners' strike (1984–85), and joined the party when he was studying medicine at the Newcastle University Medical School. Williams also obtained a Diploma in Tropical Medicine from the University of Liverpool.{{cite book|first1=Tim|last1=Carr|first2=Iain|last2=Dale|first3=Robert|last3=Waller|title=The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2017|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8cXADgAAQBAJ|date=7 September 2017|publisher=Biteback Publishing|isbn=978-1-78590-278-9}}

After graduating, he specialised in general practice. Prior to entering politics, Williams worked as a GP partner in Stockton and was also the chief executive officer of Hartlepool and Stockton Health GP Federation,{{cite web |last1=Campbell |first1=Dennis |title=Paul Williams MP: 'We need to transfer power from hospitals to GPs |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/19/paul-williams-mp-nhs-hospitals-gps-treatment-prevention-home-care-labour |website=theguardian.com |publisher=The Guardian (UK) |access-date=9 December 2019 |ref=hash_anchor}} which oversees 37 practices in Hartlepool and Stockton. Williams also ran a health programme in Uganda for five years involving the implementation of a community health insurance scheme. This involved helping to set up a community hospital near the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest which provided HIV, malaria and tuberculosis services.{{cite web|url=http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-news/doctor-returns-teesside-after-five-3680343|title=Doctor returns to Teesside after five years saving lives in Uganda|publisher=Gazette Live|date=13 October 2011|last=Blackburn|first=Mike}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/stephen-fry-people-can-make-a-difference-and-save-lives-2148088.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/stephen-fry-people-can-make-a-difference-and-save-lives-2148088.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Independent|date=1 December 2010|last=Fry|title=Stephen Fry: People can make a difference and save lives|first=Stephen}}

Williams was selected to contest the Stockton South constituency by the Labour Party at the 2017 UK general election. He had previously made the shortlist for the 2013 South Shields by-election. Williams went on to be elected as MP with 26,102 votes and a majority of 888 over incumbent Conservative Party MP James Wharton who had held the seat since the 2010 general election.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000971|title=Stockton South|publisher=BBC News|access-date=22 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170819220126/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000971|archive-date=19 August 2017}} On national political issues, Williams has campaigned significantly on public health and the NHS. His maiden speech focussed on increasing efforts in preventative care in the NHS. After the election, he was chosen to be part of the Health Select Committee.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/dr-paul-williams/4666|publisher=parliament.uk|access-date=21 October 2017|title=Dr Paul Williams MP|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011130043/http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/dr-paul-williams/4666|archive-date=11 October 2017}} and chaired its inquiry into health in the first 1000 days of life.{{cite web |last1=Willams |first1=Paul |title=We must show leadership and join the Early Years Revolution |url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/health-and-care/nhs/house/house-magazine/102029/dr-paul-williams-we-must-show-leadership-and |website=Politics Home (UK) |access-date=9 December 2019}}

Williams was a signatory of the MPs Not Border Guards pledge not to report constituents to the Home Office for Immigration Enforcement.{{cite web|url=https://www.globaljustice.org.uk/mps-not-border-guards-pledge-signatories |title=MPs not border guards – pledge signatories | Global Justice Now |publisher=Globaljustice.org.uk |date= |access-date=10 October 2019}}

In 2018, Williams accepted the gift of a trip to Saudi Arabia worth £8,762 from the country's government. Following the excursion, he said he saw a "modern, progressive" side to the country, which that had “totally changed" his overall view of the country.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hartlepool-by-election-paul-williams-saudi-arabia-b1819597.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hartlepool-by-election-paul-williams-saudi-arabia-b1819597.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Labour Hartlepool by-election candidate said Saudi Arabia was 'progressive' after £8,700 paid-for trip|date=19 March 2021|website=The Independent}}

At the 2019 general election, he lost his seat to the Conservative candidate, Matt Vickers.{{cite web|url=https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/who-matt-vickers-meet-councillor-17414056|website=Gazette Live|title=Who is Matt Vickers? Meet the councillor and Brexiteer who's the new MP for Stockton South|date=13 December 2019}}

In March 2021, following the resignation of Hartlepool MP Mike Hill, Williams was selected as Labour's candidate for the 2021 Hartlepool by-election.{{cite web|url=https://labourlist.org/2021/03/dr-paul-williams-announced-as-labour-candidate-for-hartlepool-by-election/|title=Dr Paul Williams announced as Labour candidate for Hartlepool by-election|first=Sienna|last=Rodgers|website=LabourList}} He had been Labour's candidate for Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner, in a May 2021 election, but withdrew in order to contest Hartlepool.{{cite news |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/19174075.criticism-labours-candidate-hartlepool-steps-police-crime-commissioner-race/ |title=Criticism after Labour's candidate for Hartlepool steps down from Police and Crime Commissioner race |last=Nolan |first=Laura |newspaper=The Northern Echo |date=19 March 2021 |access-date=21 March 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tees-56451330|title=Labour unveils ex-Stockton South MP for Hartlepool seat|date=18 March 2021|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} His selection was criticised as he had supported the UK remaining within the EU and a referendum on the EU withdrawal agreement whereas Hartlepool had strongly supported Brexit. The selection process was also criticised as he was the only candidate on the party's shortlist.{{cite web|date=17 March 2021|title=Labour Accused Of A Candidate 'Stitch-Up' Over Hartlepool By-Election Timetable|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/labour-accused-of-a-candidate-stichup-over-hartlepool-byelection-timetable|access-date=18 March 2021|website=Politics Home}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hartlepool-byelection-labour-paul-williams-b1819452.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/hartlepool-byelection-labour-paul-williams-b1819452.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=The Independent|title=Hartlepool by-election: Frontline doctor – and arch-Remainer – to fight totemic seat for Labour|last=Drury|first=Colin|date=19 March 2021}} During the by-election campaign, he apologised for an "inappropriate" tweet in 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-56460823|title=Paul Williams: Labour candidate sorry for 'inappropriate' tweet|date=21 March 2021|via=www.bbc.com}} Conservative candidate Jill Mortimer won the seat which had been represented by a Labour MP since 1974. Mortimer won with a majority of 6,940 (23.2%) votes.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57019456|title=Elections 2021: Conservatives hail historic Labour defeat in Hartlepool by-election|publisher=BBC News|date=7 May 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/07/hartlepool-byelection-result-labour-starmer-conservatives|work=The Guardian|date=7 May 2021|title=Labour crashes to humiliating byelection defeat in Hartlepool|last=Halliday|first=Josh}}

Williams supports accountable care systems in the NHS led by primary care and public health. He opposes markets within the NHS, as he feels that they promote "expensive, complex activity". He supports a move away from the partnership model of general practice to a system provided at scale by GP-led not-for-profit provider organisations, employing salaried physicians.{{cite news|title=Interview: Salaried GP service working at scale is the future, says GP/MP|url=http://www.gponline.com/interview-salaried-gp-service-working-scale-future-says-gp-mp/article/1440460|access-date=3 September 2017|publisher=GP Online|date=26 July 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170903211923/http://www.gponline.com/interview-salaried-gp-service-working-scale-future-says-gp-mp/article/1440460|archive-date=3 September 2017}} Williams said, "The law is creating unnecessary privatisation that isn’t working in the interests of patients. This is a ridiculous fragmentation of services, at a time when the rhetoric from government and NHS leaders has all been about integration."[https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/oct/07/private-firms-take-over-extended-hours-gp-appointments Private health firms squeeze out GP-run extended services] The Guardian He has advocated for all GP trainees and newly qualified mental health nurses, social workers and community nurses being employed directly by integrated care trusts,{{cite web |last1=Campbell |first1=Denis |title=Paul Williams MP: 'We need to transfer power from hospitals to GPs' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/19/paul-williams-mp-nhs-hospitals-gps-treatment-prevention-home-care-labour |website=The Guardian (UK) |access-date=9 December 2019 |ref=ict_emp}} arguing that this would reduce care costs.

During his brief career as an MP, Williams led a debate in the House of Commons highlighting the variation in experience of new mothers when receiving postnatal GP checks, and arguing for the inclusion of a specific check six weeks after birth for maternal mental health and wellbeing to be included in the national GP contract.{{cite web |title=Perinatal Mental Illness |url=https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CDP-2018-0178 |website=UK Parliament Research Briefings |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=9 December 2019 |ref=perinatal_mh}}

Williams was also the co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Adverse Childhood Experiences.{{cite web |title=APPG on Adverse Childhood Experiences |url=https://www.wavetrust.org/all-party-parliamentary-group-for-prevention-of-adverse-childhood-experiences |website=Wave Trust |access-date=9 December 2019}}

In his constituency Williams worked to reduce waiting times for autism diagnosis from more than four years to less than twelve months.{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Mike |title=Autism diagnosis waiting times to be slashed in Stockton from four years down to 12 months |url=https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/autism-diagnosis-waiting-times-slashed-14767468 |website=gazettelive.co.uk |publisher=Evening Gazette (Teesside), Reach |access-date=9 December 2019}}

While 62% of voters in Stockton-on-Tees voted to leave the European Union, Williams was in favour of Britain remaining in the European Union, having stated that "no form of Brexit is better than the deal we already have as members of the European Union",{{cite web|last=Paul |first=Dr |url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/foreign-affairs/brexit/opinion/house-commons/101648/paul-williams-mp-nissans-announcement |title=Paul Williams MP: Nissan's announcement has given people a taste of the new Brexit reality |publisher=PoliticsHome.com |date= |access-date=10 October 2019}} and broke the Labour Party whip on six occasions to support a second referendum on the UK's exit from the EU.{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Paul |title=Public Whip – Dr Paul Williams MP |url=https://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?constituency=Stockton+South&house=commons |website=Public Whip |publisher=publicwhip.org.uk |access-date= 9 December 2019 |ref=eu_ref_anchor}}

His long-time partner is Vicky Holt, who works as a nurse; they got married on 17 December 2020.{{cite news|url=http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/local/teesvalley/stockton/15521937.Doctor_MP_joins_rally_over_nurses__39__pay_cap/|title=Stockton doctor-MP joins rally over nurses' pay cap|work=The Northern Echo|date=7 September 2017|last=Breen|first=Julia}}{{Cite web|title=Paul Williams|url=https://www.facebook.com/PaulWilliamsLAB/posts/vicky-and-i-got-married-today/1461046564099148/|access-date=2021-02-19|website=Facebook|language=en}} They have two daughters and live in Stockton. Williams continued to work as a GP in Stockton to maintain his medical licence while he was an MP. He returned to work in the NHS full time after losing his seat. He was a trustee of The ARC, Stockton-on-Tees and the national charity The Parent-Infant Foundation, and a former board member of Catalyst, a local volunteering organisation.{{cite web|url=http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/gp-who-enjoys-triathlons-running-12998273|title=GP who enjoys triathlons is in the running for Stockton South seat|publisher=Gazette Live|date=8 May 2017|access-date=21 October 2017|last=Robson|first=Dave|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925184336/http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/gp-who-enjoys-triathlons-running-12998273|archive-date=25 September 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://tsmp.gpsurgery.net/team/|title=Team|publisher=Tennant Street Medical Practice|access-date=21 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171022085744/https://tsmp.gpsurgery.net/team/|archive-date=22 October 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmregmem/171009/171009.pdf|title=Register of Members' Financial Interests|page=517|publisher=parliament.uk|access-date=21 October 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171022033036/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmregmem/171009/171009.pdf|archive-date=22 October 2017}}

Williams was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2021 New Year Honours for services to Parliament and to healthcare in Stockton-on-Tees.{{London Gazette|issue=63218|supp=y|page=N15|date=31 December 2020}}

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Category:1972 births

Category:Living people

Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies

Category:UK MPs 2017–2019

Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Alumni of Newcastle University