Chris McDonald is the Labour MP for Stockton North, having first been elected to parliament at the 2024 general election.

In the 2024 general election, McDonald won 17,128 votes, representing 45.8% of the vote. The Reform UK candidate, John McDermottroe, received 9,189 votes (24.6%), while the Conservative candidate, Niall Innes, secured 8,028 votes (21.5%). McDonald was duly elected with a majority of 7,939 votes.

The Stockton North constituency is located in County Durham, in the North East of England. The seat has been held continuously by the Labour Party since its creation in 1983.

McDonald’s immediate predecessor as the MP for Stockton North was Alex Cunningham of the Labour Party. Cunningham, who stood down at the 2024 election, was first elected to represent the seat in 2010.

Political Career

McDonald currently serves as minister of state in the Department of Health and Social Care and a minister of state in the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. He was appointed to these roles in July 2026, following the Labour leadership contest and Andy Burnham’s elevation as prime minister.

McDonald served as parliamentary under-secretary of state for industry jointly in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade from September 2025 to July 2026.

McDonald was appointed as a government “business champion” for steel, chemicals and heavy industry in the North – a role established in February 2025 to facilitate engagement between the Labour administration and the private sector.

The position was part of a network of approximately 40 MPs appointed by the Department for Business and Trade to act as conduits for industry views on government policy. The grouping operated under the oversight of Dan Tomlinson, the national “mission champion” for growth.

The selection of champions was designed to leverage the professional expertise of the 2024 intake of MPs, and the role was seen as an early step on the Westminster ladder. However, the scheme was reportedly scrapped in July 2025 following a meeting at 10 Downing Street. According to a Guido Fawkes report, the business champions were told that their services were no longer required.

McDonald served as a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (2024-2025).

McDonald delivered his maiden speech on 17 July 2024 during the debate on the king’s speech.

In it, he said: “The gracious speech contained many fine bills, but for me it was much more about a new way of governing: a government of service, of change and of action. I know that this will be warmly welcomed by my constituents in Stockton North.”

He added: “We know that Britain is great at industry, which keeps us safe, generates fairer economic growth and creates new opportunities for our young people. That is sorely needed in Stockton North, where a third of our children live in poverty.

“We will seize this chance to help the people who need it most.”

Political Views

Leadership elections

Labour deputy leadership 2025: McDonald was one of 175 Labour MPs who nominated Bridget Phillipson for the party’s deputy leadership in September 2025. The election followed the resignation of Angela Rayner, who stepped down as deputy prime minister and deputy party leader after an investigation into her tax affairs. It marked the first time since 2007 that Labour had held a deputy leadership contest while in government.

Phillipson, the serving education secretary, was widely viewed as the candidate favoured by Downing Street and the party leadership. She secured 175 nominations from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), comfortably exceeding the 80 required to reach the final ballot. She was ultimately defeated by Lucy Powell.

Factional identity and party tradition

SERA: McDonald has been listed as a member of the Socialist Environment and Resources Association (SERA) – a socialist society affiliated with the Labour Party. Founded in 1973, SERA is the party’s official environmental campaign group. The organisation campaigns on a wide range of issues, including renewable energy, biodiversity, air quality and the transition to a green economy. SERA describes its member MPs as “champions for the environment”.

Welfare

Welfare vote (July 2025): McDonald voted in favour of the government’s flagship welfare bill at second reading. The vote came after ministers agreed to significant concessions to avoid defeat via a mass rebellion of Labour MPs on 1 July 2025.

Assisted dying

McDonald voted against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, better known as the assisted dying bill, at both second reading (November 2024) and third reading (June 2025).

Social values and conscience issues

Abortion decriminalisation (2025): McDonald voted in favour of a backbench amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that sought to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales in June 2025. The amendment, which was passed by a majority of 242 votes, removed women from the threat of prosecution for ending a pregnancy at any stage. As an issue of conscience, MPs were allowed to vote according to their personal beliefs.

Before Politics

Born in Hartlepool in the mid 1970s and raised in Blackhall, County Durham, McDonald initially worked at British Steel, which sponsored him to study at Churchill College, University of Cambridge.

McDonald graduated from Cambridge University in 2000 and later obtained a master’s degree from the University of Warwick.

McDonald spent a total of 20 years working in the steel industry before his election to parliament.

In 2008, University became a laboratory manager within the research division of Tata Steel. In 2014 he led the divestment of the Materials Processing Institute (MPI) from Tata Steel UK, becoming chief executive officer. He held this role until 2023.

McDonald was editor of Millennium Steel Publishing from 2020 to 2025.

Personal Life

McDonald lives in his Stockton North constituency.

Trivia

McDonald reportedly plays the cornet.