LD regained this seat from Con — last held it in 2010.
MP News Approval i
+40
Max Wilkinson
Liberal DemocratsMax Wilkinson is the Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024. He currently undertakes the role of Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Home Affairs).
Vote on New Clause 1 to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a private member's bill on assisted dying. Based on available debate context, this was one of several amendments considered at Report Stage, with the bill's sponsor Kim Leadbeater presenting changes developed with government legal and health officials to make the legislation workable.
Vote on New Clause 2 to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, debated alongside related amendments including provisions on guidance, devolution, and regulatory consultation. The excerpts focus on New Clause 20, which would require the Secretary of State to issue guidance (consulting chief medical officers and palliative/hospice care providers) and enable Welsh Ministers to issue guidance on devolved health matters.
Vote on whether to strengthen the advertising ban in the Assisted Dying Bill by requiring that any advertising restrictions also cover situations where advertisers know their adverts could influence vulnerable people's choices — going further than the basic ban proposed by the bill's sponsor Kim Leadbeater.
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Sign up freeCoverage of Cheltenham has been mixed for Max across 40 recent articles.
Positive coverage
“Less than one per cent of phone theft cases lead to a criminal charge, figures show” — Yahoo
“Fewer than one in 300 phone thefts in London result in a charge, figures show” — Yahoo News UK
Critical coverage
“Liberal Lawmaker: 'Massive Problem' People Can Criticise Migration on X” — Breitbart
“Liberal MP Labels X A "Massive Problem" For Allowing Brits To Criticize Mass Immigration - Conservative Angle” — Brigitte Gabriel
Represented by LD since 2024. Centred on Cheltenham. Population 100,396.
Former Premier League striker, 61, fights back tears after saving hometown club
The Scottish Sun · 11 Apr 2026
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Sign up freeMedian Income▼
£29,900
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Mean Income▼
£42,200
per year (HMRC 2022-23)
Businesses▼
4,695
VAT/PAYE registered (ONS 2024)
Schools▼
43
23 primary, 5 secondary, 15 other
Total Income Tax▼
£416m
from 55,000 taxpayers
Median Tax▼
£2,990
per taxpayer / year
Mean Tax
£7,500
per taxpayer / year
Source: HMRC Survey of Personal Incomes, tax year 2022-23. Allocated by taxpayer residence. Covers income tax only — excludes NI, VAT, and capital gains. Sample-based estimate (~8% confidence interval).
Attainment 8▼
55.7
average score (DfE)
GCSE Pass Rate▼
76.0%
5+ GCSEs 9-4 (DfE)
1 city, 1 village, rural areas — 100,188 total population
Source: ONS Built-Up Areas (Census 2021) + data.police.uk — crime rates are per 1,000 population (last 3 months)
Source: data.police.uk — street-level crime data aggregated from LSOA to constituency
2 councillors across 1 ward · Last elections: May 2024
| Ward | Party | Councillor | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benhall The Reddings Fiddlers Green | Liberal Democrats | Mike Collins | May 2024 |
| Liberal Democrats | Stephen Ian Steinhardt | May 2024 |
Source: DCLEAPIL v1.0 by Jason Leman, LEAP (Andrew Teale) & Democracy Club. CC BY-SA 4.0. Data last refreshed: 1 Apr 2026.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| LD | 25,076 | 50.6% | |
Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 17,866 | 36.1% |
| Green | 3,160 | 6.4% | |
| Lab | 2,665 | 5.4% | |
| Ind | 775 | 1.6% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2017 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 28,486 | 48.0% |
Won 2024 GE | LD | 27,505 | 46.3% |
| Lab | 2,921 | 4.9% | |
| Ind | 445 | 0.8% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2015 GE | Con | 26,615 | 46.7% |
Won 2010 GE | LD | 24,046 | 42.2% |
| Lab | 5,408 | 9.5% | |
| Green | 943 | 1.6% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
✓ Won 2019 GEWon 2017 GE | Con | 24,790 | 46.1% |
Won 2010 GE | LD | 18,274 | 34.0% |
| Lab | 3,902 | 7.3% | |
| Ind | 3,808 | 7.1% | |
| Green | 2,689 | 5.0% | |
| Ind | 272 | 0.5% |
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| LD | 26,659 | 50.5% | |
| Con | 21,739 | 41.2% | |
| Lab | 2,703 | 5.1% | |
| Ind | 1,192 | 2.3% | |
| Ind | 493 | 0.9% |
Max Wilkinson has not appeared in national political news coverage tracked by our system. This is common for backbench MPs who focus on constituency-level work rather than national policy debates.
5 articles hidden as not sufficiently relevant to this constituency
Steve Cotterill, a legendary Cheltenham Town manager, has saved the club from EFL relegation with a 4-0 victory over Walsall in his second spell at the club. The emotional 61-year-old, who previously led Cheltenham from non-league to the EFL, has delivered a significant achievement for the hometown club after joining in late September.
A feature article reviewing the Sandford Park Alehouse, a CAMRA award-winning pub on Cheltenham High Street that has been highlighted by comedian Dom Joly as one of his favourite drinking spots in the town. The piece describes the pub's offerings, atmosphere, and management's efforts to attract customers through events and quality beverages.
Fashion brand Mango has opened its first Gloucestershire store at Regent Arcade in Cheltenham, creating 10 new jobs and bringing Mediterranean-inspired women's fashion to the area. The 4,500 sq ft store is part of Mango's broader UK expansion strategy targeting 15 additional openings in 2024-2026.
A feature article about Cheltenham's appeal as a town, following its Telegraph ranking as the UK's second-best populated town and designation as the 'poshest' of the nation's 25 biggest towns. The article explores the town's Regency architecture, festivals, green spaces, and mixed resident opinions on its character and value.
Luxury hot chocolate brand Knoops is opening a new store at 24 Promenade in Cheltenham town centre, replacing the former Costa Coffee that closed in 2022. The article also notes other retail developments including Mango opening in Regent Arcade shopping centre.
An investigation into illegal betting reveals black market bookmakers are exploiting social media and influencers to operate without regulation, with the Cheltenham Festival highlighted as a focal point. The report warns that proposed government affordability checks could drive more bettors to these unregulated operators, threatening racing's finances and consumer protection.
An investigation reveals Meta's platforms (Facebook and Instagram) are promoting illegal black market gambling sites to UK residents, including through influencers and AI chatbots. The article highlights how unlicensed operators exploit social media to target vulnerable Brits, with specific examples of illegal betting occurring around the Cheltenham Festival.
Max Wilkinson, Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham and Home Affairs spokesman, faced criticism for comments at a think tank panel where he called it a "massive problem" that people can post anti-immigration views on social media platforms like X. Free speech organisations and migration control advocates condemned his remarks as suggesting censorship of legitimate political debate.
Cheltenham MP Max Wilkinson, the Lib Dems' Home Office spokesperson, criticized Elon Musk's X platform for enabling easy public criticism of mass immigration. The article frames his comments as an admission that the political establishment fears open debate on immigration and uses this to argue that free speech restrictions are about narrative control rather than safety.
Cheltenham Racecourse has cancelled its final three meetings of the season to undertake major drainage system upgrades in the home straight, following a collapsed drain that caused disruption in January. The racecourse prioritised fixing the infrastructure issue now while ground moisture is optimal for recovery, with affected races rescheduled to other venues and ticket refunds offered to general admission holders.
Cheltenham's historic lido has secured its future through a landmark lease agreement between Cheltenham Borough Council and the Cheltenham Lido Charity, guaranteeing operations until 2120. The agreement represents a significant commitment to preserving this treasured community asset and iconic facility that has served residents since 1935.
Max Wilkinson, the Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham, spoke at a Demos event in December about social media's role in amplifying immigration-critical voices. He expressed discomfort with how platforms like X make it easy to spread content questioning immigration policy, framing this as a problem for democratic engagement.
New data reveals that fewer than 1% of mobile phone thefts result in criminal charges, with 86% of Met Police cases closed without identifying a suspect. Max Wilkinson, the Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesperson, has called this an epidemic and proposed dedicated National Crime Agency units and tighter phone provider regulations to tackle the issue.
Cheltenham Racecourse has cancelled its three remaining fixtures for the 2024-25 season to conduct major drainage works on the home straight, following a sinkhole that appeared in January. The course will not host racing again until October, representing a significant loss in revenue but necessary infrastructure investment to prevent recurring drainage problems.
Max Wilkinson, the Cheltenham MP and Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, has criticised the low charge rate for mobile phone thefts (0.82%), calling the crime 'effectively decriminalised'. The article highlights figures showing fewer than 1 in 300 phone thefts result in charges across 17 police forces, with the Met having particularly poor outcomes at just 0.3% charge rates.
Phone theft has reached crisis levels with less than 1% of 86,000 reported cases resulting in charges, effectively decriminalising the crime. Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson (the current Cheltenham MP) has used the issue to criticise police performance and call for a dedicated National Crime Agency unit to tackle criminal gangs.
Cheltenham Racecourse has cancelled its next three racedays to undertake major drainage upgrades in the home straight, following issues discovered during the January Trials day. The work is necessary to address persistent track problems exacerbated by recent weather patterns, with four races being relocated to other venues.
Cheltenham racecourse has cancelled three remaining fixtures in the 2025-26 season to conduct major drainage work on the home straight following a hole that appeared during Festival Trials Day. The cancellations will allow essential infrastructure improvements and proper track recovery before the 2026-27 season begins.
Cheltenham racecourse has cancelled its final three fixtures of the season to undertake essential drainage system upgrades in the home straight, following issues discovered during the winter including a collapsed drain. The work is being brought forward to take advantage of current soil moisture conditions for optimal recovery before next season.
Gloucestershire County Council has announced a major highways resurfacing programme involving 55 roads across the county, scheduled for April-June 2024. Multiple roads in Cheltenham are included in the scheme, supported by an additional £15 million investment over three years.
Cheltenham Borough Council leader Rowena Hay has criticised the Government's housing target of 16,420 homes over 20 years as 'totally unrealistic', while the council works with neighbouring authorities on a strategic local plan. MP Max Wilkinson supports town centre regeneration but expresses scepticism about edge-of-town development options.
A suspended Reform UK mayoral candidate has denied calling a Jewish neighbourhood watch group 'cosplayers' following arson attacks on Hatzola ambulances in Golders Green. The controversy has drawn criticism from Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and Cheltenham MP Max Wilkinson, who has called for stricter vetting and action against Reform candidates making racially offensive comments.
Reform UK suspended its Hampshire mayoral candidate Chris Parry after he made offensive remarks comparing a Jewish neighbourhood watch group (Shomrim) to 'Islamists on horseback' on social media. The incident occurred following an arson attack on Jewish community ambulances, and Cheltenham's Liberal Democrat MP Max Wilkinson called for stronger vetting procedures within Reform UK.
Reform UK mayoral candidate Chris Parry faced calls to be sacked after making insensitive comments about Jewish community safeguarding group Shomrim, coming hours after an arson attack on a Jewish charity ambulance service. Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Max Wilkinson, the MP for Cheltenham, called on Nigel Farage to drop Parry as a candidate, criticising the remarks as deeply insulting.
MPs, including Lib Dem Max Wilkinson, have called for a pause on rolling out live facial recognition cameras nationwide after Essex Police suspended their use due to concerns about racial bias. The article covers a Cambridge University study finding potential bias in the technology and debates between those advocating caution and the Home Secretary pushing for expanded use.
Nigel Farage has paused his Cameo video service after multiple controversies involving inappropriate tributes and comments made in personalised videos. Max Wilkinson MP, the Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson, has publicly criticised Farage's activities as a 'shameless cash grab' that demonstrates he would sell the country out if given power.
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