Al Pinkerton.

Al Pinkerton's most distinctive act in parliament has been breaking with his Liberal Democrat colleagues on assisted dying. On 20 June 2025, he voted against the bill at Third Reading and backed several restrictive amendments — including one that would have barred applications where the wish to die was substantially driven by not wanting to be a burden, a mental disorder, a disability, or financial hardship. The Lib Dems voted broadly in favour of the bill as it passed to the Lords; Pinkerton was among the minority who opposed it and sought tighter safeguards. His voting record shows a marked divergence from party colleagues on this issue: 78% aligned with assisted dying restrictions against a party average of 36%, and only 22% aligned with assisted dying access against a party average of 72%. Beyond that, he has pushed a UK-EU customs union proposal via a Ten Minute Rule Bill and raised concerns about the proposed Frimley Park Hospital site with the Health Secretary.

Pinkerton votes with his party on around 97% of divisions — a strong party-line record — but his 69% participation rate is below the Commons average. His speeches cluster heavily around defence and the economy, with social care and local government also featuring regularly. He scores 100% on parliamentary and Lords scrutiny votes, and opposed the government's planning delegation regulations, which would have removed elected councillors from smaller planning decisions — consistent with a strong pro-local-democracy lean.

His academic background as a geographer and security studies specialist at King's College London appears to inform his defence focus — the largest single category of his 283 contributions. Local news coverage over the past 90 days has been mixed, touching on local government and welfare. He sits on no select committees. Voting data runs to July 2026.