Oliver Ryan (politician)

Oliver David Ryan (born April 1995) is a British Labour and Co-operative politician who has served as Member of Parliament for Burnley since 2024.[1] He was previously a Tameside Metropolitan Borough Councillor for Audenshaw ward from 2014 to 2023.[2]

Oliver Ryan
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Burnley
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byAntony Higginbotham
Majority3,420 (8.6%)
Member of Tameside Council
for Audenshaw
In office
22 May 2014 – 4 May 2023
Preceded byColin White
Succeeded byTeresa Smith
Personal details
Born
Oliver David Ryan

April 1995 (age 29)
Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, England
Political partyLabour Co-op
Alma materUniversity of Manchester (BA)
University of Law (LLB)

Early life

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Oliver David Ryan was born in April 1995 in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester to a single mother. He has three siblings.[3][4][5] Ryan graduated from the University of Manchester with a BA in History in 2016 before obtaining an LLB in Law from the University of Law.[6][4]

Political career

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Ryan joined the Labour Party in 2010, aged 15.[2] He was elected as the Labour Party councillor for Audenshaw ward in the 2014 Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council election at the age of 19.[7] He retained his seat in the 2018 and 2022 elections. Ryan stood down ahead of the 2023 election.[8][9] Ryan was then elected as the Labour and Co-operative MP for Burnley in the 2024 general election with a majority of 3,420 votes, defeating the incumbent Antony Higginbotham of the Conservative Party.[5]

Ryan has said that his main priority in politics is to break the “generational cycle of worklessness” among some Burnley families.[10]

Electoral performance

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House of Commons

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General election 2024: Burnley[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Oliver Ryan 12,598 31.7 –8.5
Liberal Democrats Gordon Birtwistle 9,178 23.1 +15.4
Conservative Antony Higginbotham 8,058 20.3 –20.2
Reform UK Nathan McCollum 7,755 19.5 +12.4
Green Jack Launer 1,518 3.8 +2.0
Independent Rayyan Fiass 292 0.7 +0.7
Independent Mitchell Cryer 169 0.4 +0.4
Independent David Roper 151 0.4 +0.4
Majority 3,420 8.6 N/A
Turnout 39,719 53 –9.4
Labour gain from Conservative Swing +5.8
2022 Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council election: Audenshaw[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Oliver Ryan 1,520 52.1 +5.2
Conservative Danny Mather 1,178 40.4 –4.0
Green Luke Robinson 221 7.6 –1.1
Majority 342 11.7
Turnout 2,930 31.1
Labour hold Swing +4.6
2018 Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council election: Audenshaw[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Oliver Ryan 1,581 55.3 +10.0
Conservative Danny Mather 922 32.2 +5.7
UKIP Peter Harris 195 6.8 –15.6
Green Georgia Blakeney 161 5.6 +0.4
Turnout 2,865 30
Labour hold Swing
2014 Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council election: Audenshaw[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Oliver Ryan 1,284 42.32
UKIP David Turner 1,162 38.30
Conservative Colin White 429 14.14
Green Nancy Jaegar 159 5.24
Majority 122 4.02
Turnout 3,034 33
Labour hold Swing

Personal life

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Ryan is openly LGBTQ+.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Burnley - General election results 2024". BBC News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b Higgins, Adam (5 July 2024). "Former Tameside councillor becomes MP for first time". Tameside Correspondent. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Oliver David RYAN personal appointments". Companies House. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b Ryan, Oliver. "About Oliver Ryan". Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "UK Parliamentary Election – Thursday 4th July". Burnley Borough Council. 5 July 2024. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Graduation programme July 2016" (PDF). University of Manchester. July 2016. p. 57. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Local Election - Thursday, 22nd May, 2014". Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Local Election - Thursday, 3rd May, 2018". Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Local Election - Thursday, 5th May, 2022". Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  10. ^ Collis, Dominic (3 September 2024). "Burnley's new Labour MP Oliver Ryan talks about his first 50 days in parliament". burnleyexpress.net.
  11. ^ Reynolds, Andrew (5 July 2024). "Number of out LGBTQ+ MPs falls following election – but Labour has a reason to be proud". PinkNews. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Burnley

2024–present
Incumbent