Ian Levy (politician)
Ian Levy is a British Conservative Party politician who was elected as Member of Parliament for Blyth Valley at the 2019 general election. He is the first Conservative to represent Blyth Valley since the constituency was created in 1950.Life
Levy was elected as MP for Blyth Valley in the 2019 general election with a majority of 712 votes. He had previously contested the seat in the 2017 general election. He was the first Conservative MP to represent the constituency since its creation in 1950. It had previously been a notionally safe Labour seat. He had campaigned on returning passenger railway services to the area and for a relief road in Blyth, Northumberland. Blyth's railway station had closed in 1964 as part of the Beeching cuts. He is of Jewish descent.
Prior to his election, Levy had worked as a healthcare assistant on an inpatient mental health rehabilitation ward in St Nicholas Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne. After his election, he was accused of misleading the public after the Nursing Times reported he had made a series of social media posts during the campaign stating he had worked as a mental health nurse. The posts were later amended. Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust confirmed he had worked as a healthcare assistant. The term "nurse" is not legally protected so Levy's posts had not violated the Nurses Registration Act 1919.
Levy won the Newcomer of the Year award at The Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year Awards.
