Michael Tomlinson


Michael James Tomlinson-Mynors is a British politician serving as the Member of Parliament for Mid Dorset and North Poole since 2015. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as Deputy Chairman of the European Research Group from 20 November 2016 until 19 March 2018.

Early life

Tomlinson was educated at Hereford Cathedral School and graduated from King's College London with a BA in Classics before studying for a Postgraduate Diploma in Law at the College of Law and becoming a barrister at Middle Temple. He was awarded the Queen Mother Scholarship and represented Middle Temple in international mooting competitions in the United States and Hong Kong.

Parliamentary career

Tomlinson has represented the constituency of Mid Dorset and North Poole since the 2015 General Election. He lists his main areas of interest as education, employment, infrastructure and justice. He made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 22 June 2015 during a debate on the Education and Adoption Bill. Tomlinson is currently the Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Youth Employment.
Tomlinson is currently a member of the European Scrutiny Committee. He voted for the UK to hold a referendum on continued membership of the European Union and he subsequently supported the campaign to leave the European Union.
Tomlinson was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to the ministers at the Department of International Development in July 2017 and was promoted to Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State, Penny Mordaunt, in January 2018. He had previously been involved in pro bono legal projects in Rwanda and Sierra Leone. He was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Dominic Raab, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union in November 2018, less than 48 hours before the latter resigned from the Cabinet. Shortly thereafter Tomlinson wrote an article in The Daily Telegraph, in which he expressed reservations about the terms of the agreement to withdraw from the European Union negotiated by Theresa May.

Personal life

In May 1997, Tomlinson made one appearance in Minor County Cricket, playing for Herefordshire against Dorset, when he did not bat or bowl. He is currently a member of the Lords and Commons Cricket Club.