Stephen Parkinson, Conservative, Newcastle upon Tyne North

Name: Stephen Parkinson

Candidate for: Newcastle upon Tyne North

Party: Conservative

Votes: 7,966

Profile:

Stephen Parkinson was born in North Shields in 1983. His grandmother grew up in a mining family in Netherton Colliery, and his dad began his career working at the RVI in Newcastle.

He was educated at state schools and won a place to study history at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. That's where he became actively involved in politics, serving as Chairman of the University Conservative Association, and being elected President of the Cambridge Union.

He has also been Director of Research at the respected independent think-tank, the Centre for Policy Studies, and has served as an Independent Custody Visitor, making sure that people taken into police custody are being treated properly.

On top of this, he is a keen historian, and published his first book earlier this year.

GENERAL ELECTION 2010 – LATEST NEWS

• Four-fifths of new university and college students own smartphones
• £130m investment set to boost Black Country employment
• Black-tie bash for James Bond will be golden for trust
• Government to end top-down targets
• Coalition 'boosting reform plans'
• Home information packs to be axed
• Alcohol sales below cost price axed
• Estate agents hail demise of Hips
• Report on voting chaos published
• Cameron to hold talks with Sarkozy