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Josh MacAlister

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Josh MacAlister
OBE MP
BERJAYA
Official portrait, 2024
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 September 2025
Prime MinisterKeir Starmer
Preceded byJanet Daby
Member of Parliament
for Whitehaven and Workington
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byConstituency established
Majority13,286 (31.7%)
Personal details
BornMarch 1987 (age 39)
PartyLabour
SpouseMatthew Hood
Websitejoshmacalister.uk Edit this at Wikidata

Joshua MacAlister[1] OBE (born March 1987) is a British Labour politician and former teacher who has been Member of Parliament for Whitehaven and Workington since 2024.[2][3] He has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families since 2025.[4]

Early life and education

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MacAlister's father worked as a social worker.[5]

He attended Oulder Hill High School in Rochdale [6]

MacAlister attained an MA (Hons) in politics and social policy at the University of Edinburgh. MacAlister served as President of the Edinburgh University Students’ Association.[7] In 2008, he unsuccessfully contested the Presidency of the National Union of Students Scotland.

MacAlister also studied for, and received, a masters degree in leadership in education at the University of Manchester.[8]

Professional life

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Education

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MacAlister trained as a teacher through the Teach First Programme and went on to teach citizenship for three and a half years at schools in Oldham.[9]

During his time as a teacher, MacAlister began to engage with young people with experience of the care system. These experiences led MacAlister to establish Frontline, a graduate social worker training programme modelled on Teach First, in 2013.[5] The first cohort began their training the following year.[8]

In 2019, the Department for Education provided Frontline with £45 million in funding.[10]

Independent Review of Children's Social Care

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In January 2021 MacAlister stepped down from his role at Frontline in order to chair an independent review of children's social care.[10] MacAlister's appointment was criticized by some social work academics who questioned whether he could be impartial given that Frontline had received central government funding.[10]

In June 2021, the review published its interim findings. In October 2021 the review published a second report in response to the feedback received on the interim report. The final report of the review was published in May 2022.[11]

Awards

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MacAlister was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to vulnerable children.[12][13]

Member of Parliament

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In June 2023, MacAlister was selected as the Labour Party's candidate for the newly created constituency of Whitehaven and Workington.[14]

At the 2024 general election, MacAlister was elected as the Member of Parliament for Whitehaven and Workington. MacAlister was elected with 53% of the vote and a majority of over 13,000 votes.[15]

Personal life

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In 2023 MacAlister joined his local mountain rescue team.[16] In July 2024, shortly after being elected as an MP, MacAlister was called out to a mountain rescue.[17]

In 2024, PinkNews listed him as an out LGBTQ+ parliamentarian.[18] He is married to educationalist Matthew Hood.[19]

References

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  1. ↑ "Members Sworn". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 752. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 10 July 2024.
  2. ↑ "Whitehaven and Workington | General Election 2024". Sky News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  3. ↑ Jenkinson, Lucy (5 July 2024). "Josh MacAlister elected as first MP for Whitehaven and Workington". News and Star. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  4. ↑ "Ministerial appointments: September 2025". GOV.UK. 11 September 2025. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  5. 1 2 Brindle, David (11 September 2013). "Frontline founder: 'Social work needs life-changing professionals'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  6. ↑ https://www.rochdaletimes.co.uk/education-minister-praises-fast-improving-school/
  7. ↑ Dickinson, Jim (1 July 2024). "The former student leaders entering Parliament". Wonkhe. Archived from the original on 14 March 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Josh MacAlister". IPPR. Archived from the original on 17 March 2026. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  9. ↑ Whittaker, Freddie (14 July 2025). "Profile: Josh MacAlister | MP for Whitehaven and Workington". Schools Week. Archived from the original on 4 August 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 Proctor, Kate (22 January 2021). "A Row Has Broken Out Over The Independence of a Major Review Into Children in Care". Politics Home. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  11. ↑ Foster, David; Lewis, Anastasia (18 November 2022). "The independent review of Children's social care: Debate Pack" (PDF). House of Commons Library. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  12. ↑ "2024 New Year Honours". The London Gazette.
  13. ↑ Dempsey, Bridget (30 December 2023). "Frontline founder recognised in New Year's Honours List for 2024". Whitehaven News. Newsquest Media Group. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  14. ↑ "Josh MacAlister selected as Labour parliamentary candidate". Social Work News. 29 June 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  15. ↑ "Labour seizes Cumbria winning five of six seats". BBC News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  16. ↑ Edwards, Lucy (2 February 2023). "Cumbrian man behind £200 million plan to fix children's social care". Cumbria Crack. Barrnon Media. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  17. ↑ Bedendo, Federica (11 July 2024). "MP Josh MacAlister called to Cumbria mountain rescue after election win". BBC News. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  18. ↑ Reynolds, Andrew (5 July 2024). "Number of out LGBTQ+ MPS falls following election". Pink News. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  19. ↑ Dickens, John (2 October 2019). "Matt Hood to leave Ambition Institute role". Schools Week. Education Scape. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
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