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PersonGB
Tom Rutland
Labour MP for East Worthing and Shoreham; resigned as PPS on 11 May 2026.
Last refreshed: 14 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Timeline for Tom Rutland
#8 12 May
Resigned as PPS on 11 May
UK Local Elections 2026: Eight resign in two days on StarmerBackground
Tom Rutland is the Labour MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, a seat he won in the 2024 general election. On 11 May 2026 he resigned his role as a parliamentary private secretary — one of four PPS resignations that day marking the start of the wave of government departures over Keir Starmer's leadership. PPS roles are the most junior level of government and carry a convention that holders support government policy publicly; Rutland's resignation signalled he was no longer willing to do so.
Common Questions
Why did Tom Rutland resign from the Labour government?
Rutland resigned as a parliamentary private secretary on 11 May 2026, one of four PPSs who quit in a single day at the start of the wave of government departures over Starmer's leadership.Source: LabourList
Who is Tom Rutland MP?
Tom Rutland is the Labour MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, elected in 2024. He resigned as a parliamentary private secretary on 11 May 2026.Source: Parliament
How the World Sees Them
Reform UK
a flagrantly partisan attempt to kneecap Reform UK
Ian Davidson, Acting Returning Officer for Clacton
is expected to cost around four times as much as a more typical ballot paper for a by-election of this kind
Sinn Féin
no intent, plan or otherwise
Scottish Labour
This 'contest' reeks of misogyny and male entitlement.
Democratic Unionist Party
goaded
Scottish National Party
the most undemocratic trick in the Westminster book
MHCLG / Steve Reed
further time is required as it is vital that we get these decisions right
Local Government Association / litigating councils
simply not deliverable
Local Government Association
significant risks to statutory services