Sam Rushworth

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Sam Rushworth

| honorific-suffix = MP

| image = Sam Rushworth.jpg

| caption = Official portrait, 2024

| office1 = Member of Parliament
for Bishop Auckland

| parliament1 =

| majority1 = 6,672 (16.5%)

| predecessor1 = Dehenna Davison

| successor1 =

| term_start1 = 4 July 2024

| term_end1 =

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1984}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nationality = British

| party = Labour

| alma_mater = University of Manchester
University of East Anglia

| residence =

| website = https://www.samrushworth.co.uk/

| occupation = Politician

}}

Samuel Jonathan Rushworth (born 1984) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bishop Auckland since 2024.{{cite web |title=Bishop Auckland {{!}} General Election 2024 |url=https://election.news.sky.com/elections/general-election-2024/bishop-auckland-66 |website=Sky News |access-date=5 July 2024}} Rushworth grew up in Blackpool and studied economics at the University of Manchester. He previously worked in international development and was involved with the Labour campaign for international development. Rushworth unsuccessfully contested Blackpool North and Cleveleys in 2015 and Tatton in 2017 before being elected as MP for Bishop Auckland in the 2024 general election, winning 42.1% of the vote with a majority of 6,672. He is married with five children and is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Early life and education

Rushworth grew up in Blackpool, and was educated at Hodgson High School, a state secondary school in Poulton-le-Fylde. He pursued higher education at the University of Manchester, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in economics and social studies, specialising in development economics.{{Cite web |last=Rushworth |first=Sam |date=2024-08-02 |title=Dr Sam Rushworth Linkedin |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sam-rushworth-labour-candidate-for-bishop-auckland-90b49110/ |website=LinkedIn}}

Rushworth furthered his studies with a Master of Arts (MA) degree in international development from the University of Manchester. He also holds a Diploma in Advanced Business French from the Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Paris and a Master of Research (MRes) degree in education and international development from the University of East Anglia, where he later completed his PhD. His doctoral thesis, titled "“Teacher, do you think I have a bright future?” - Anxiety and uncertainty in a Rwandan Catholic Secondary Boarding and Day School", which offers an in-depth ethnographic study of Rwandan adolescents in a Catholic boarding school. His work focuses on the themes of anxiety and uncertainty in educational settings.{{Cite thesis |title="Teacher, do you think I have a bright future?" - Anxiety and uncertainty in a Rwandan Catholic Secondary Boarding and Day School |url=https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/67829/ |publisher=University of East Anglia. School of International Development |date= February 2018 |degree=doctoral |language=en |first=Samuel |last=Rushworth}}

Early career

Rushworth's career began in various roles that laid the foundation for his future work in international development and education. He served as a Project Manager for Stockport Council and later as a Volunteering and Training Manager for the British Red Cross. He was Youth Club Manager at the Hamlet Centre and as an Associate Tutor at the University of East Anglia.{{Cite web |title=General Election 2017: Sam Rushworth selected as Labour candidate for Tatton - alderleyedge.com |url=https://www.alderleyedge.com/news/article/15670/general-election-2017-sam-rushworth-selected-as-labour-candidate-for-tatton |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=www.alderleyedge.com}}

Rushworth's work in international development began with his work at the Aegis Trust, an organization dedicated to the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities.{{Cite web |date=2021-09-20 |title=All Party Parliamentary Group on the Prevention of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity |url=https://www.aegistrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/List-of-Members.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002130927/https://www.aegistrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/List-of-Members.pdf |archive-date=October 2, 2022

|website=Aegis Trust}} He held multiple positions, including Head of Engagement, Director of Strategy, and Special Advisor to the Head of Strategy. He specialized in education and conflict prevention, developing and implementing strategies to promote peace and stability in conflict-affected regions.

In 2017, Rushworth co-founded African Dreams Ltd, a consultancy focused on development projects in Rwanda, where he continues to serve as CEO. He also founded Our World Research & Consultancy Ltd, providing strategic advice and research services on global development issues.{{Cite web |title=OUR WORLD RESEARCH AND CONSULTANCY LTD people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/10684271/officers |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk |language=en}}

He also worked as a Lecturer at Macclesfield College of Further Education and has been involved in various research projects.{{Cite web |title=General Election 2017: Wilmslow's Sam Rushworth selected as Labour candidate for Tatton - wilmslow.co.uk |url=https://www.wilmslow.co.uk/news/article/15669/general-election-2017-wilmslows-sam-rushworth-selected-as-labour-candidate-for-tatton |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=www.wilmslow.co.uk}} Prior to becoming an MP he was the Programme Manager for the Strategic Research Fund at Durham University, where he oversaw initiatives aimed at fostering innovative research and development.

Political career

Rushworth stood in the seats of Blackpool North and Cleveleys in 2015 and Tatton in 2017.{{cite web |date=7 June 2017 |title=These People Have Spent £500 Fighting An Election They'll Never Win |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/fighting-the-unwinnable-war_uk_5936a1d7e4b0cfcda9177a4e |access-date=19 June 2024 |website=HuffPost UK}}

He was selected as the Labour Party's prospective parliamentary candidate for Bishop Auckland in 2022, a previously 'Red Wall' seat, but one of many that fell to the Conservatives at the 2019 General Election in 2022.{{cite web |date=25 November 2022 |title=Bishop Auckland Labour candidate speaks out as Dehenna Davison MP plans to stand down |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/23150975.sam-rushworth-dehenna-davison-standing-bishop-auckland/ |access-date=19 June 2024 |website=The Northern Echo}} He successfully contested the seat in the 2024 general election, winning 17,036 votes, or 42.1% of the overall vote, with a majority of 6,672.{{cite news |last1=Edgar |first1=Bill |date=3 July 2024 |title=Bishop Auckland election result: Labour win for Sam Rushworth |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/24428276.bishop-auckland-election-result-labour-win-sam-rushworth/ |access-date=5 July 2024 |work=The Northern Echo}} He was also the chair of Bishop Auckland Constituency Labour Party.{{cite web |date=15 April 2022 |title=Labour regains another seat on Durham County Council after winning 56 of vote |url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/20072492.labour-regains-durham-county-council-seat-west-auckland-by-election/ |access-date=19 June 2024 |website=The Northern Echo}}

He has served on the executive board of the [https://lcid.org.uk/ Labour Campaign for International Development] (LCID) and is known for his advocacy on issues such as child poverty.{{cite web |last=Rushworth |first=Sam |date=8 April 2017 |title=As we mark the grim anniversary of the Rwanda genocide it is clear we risk failing this generation's greatest test in Syria |url=https://labourlist.org/2017/04/as-we-mark-the-grim-anniversary-of-the-rwanda-genocide-it-is-clear-we-risk-failing-this-generations-greatest-test/ |access-date=19 June 2024 |website=LabourList}} During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rushworth and his family walked from coast to coast to raise funds for Children North East, a charity supporting disadvantaged children.{{cite web |date=14 August 2020 |title=Bishop Auckland family raise more than £1,000 in 325km trek across Britain to help disadvantaged youngsters |url=https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2020-08-14/bishop-auckland-family-raise-more-than-1000-in-325km-trek-across-britain-to-help-disadvantaged-youngsters |website=ITV News}}

Personal life

Rushworth is married to Siobhain, and they have five children{{cite web |date=15 January 2024 |title=Meet the man who would be Teesdale's next MP |url=https://www.teesdalemercury.co.uk/perma_link/6883 |access-date=19 June 2024 |website=www.teesdalemercury.co.uk }}{{Cite news |date=2020-08-15 |title=County Durham children raise money for child poverty charity |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-53781221 |access-date=2024-08-15 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has worked with the church to bring delegations of women and youth from countries affected by interfaith conflict.{{cite news |last1=Rushworth |first1=Samuel |title=International Women & Youth to speak truth to power at World Ministerial Summit on Religious Freedom – an invitation to listen! |url=https://www.christiansontheleft.org.uk/latest/international-women-amp-youth-to-speak-truth-to-power-at-world-ministerial-summit-on-religious-freedom-an-invitation-to-listen |work=Christians on the Left |date=4 May 2022}}{{cite news |title=Elder Quentin L. Cook Participates at United Kingdom Parliament to Promote Reli |url=https://news-uk.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/elder-quentin-l--cook-participates-at-united-kingdom-parliament-to-promote-religious-freedom--supporting-global-conference |access-date=15 July 2024 |work=news-uk.churchofjesuschrist.org |date=9 July 2022 |language=en}}