Labour Party MP for Derbyshire Dales.
A steady party-line MP who drew notable local criticism in 2025 over a dual-role dispute: Whitby held onto a Derby council seat for months after promising to resign "when the time is right," prompting a constituent petition and repeated calls from local councillors for him to quit. The story ran across Derbyshire Live and Yahoo News UK, and his silence on the matter attracted a sharply negative press score. On the policy front, he has backed the government's major nationalisation agenda — voting for the Railways Bill's third reading and against opposition amendments to both the Railways and Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bills — while also pushing publicly for tougher regulation of pharmaceutical pollution in the Peak District.
Whitby votes with Labour 100% of the time and participated in 89% of Commons divisions, above the typical backbencher rate. His stance profile marks him as strongly pro-workers' rights and pro-progressive taxation, less aligned with pro-business positions, and notably sceptical of Lords scrutiny and expanded parliamentary oversight — both consistent with the government's current legislative priorities. His speeches cluster around economy and jobs, local government, social care, and health, suggesting a constituency-focused brief rather than a niche policy specialism. On assisted dying he sits slightly to the more cautious end of his parliamentary group, opposing both greater end-of-life autonomy and weaker safeguards.
Whitby sits on the Environmental Audit Committee, which explains his parliamentary activity on Peak District pharmaceutical pollution. His recent news coverage over the past 90 days is broadly neutral across 55 articles, dominated by local culture, tourism, and economic stories rather than political controversy. No rebel votes are on record. The dual council-role story appears to have subsided, though no confirmation of his resignation from that seat is reflected in available data.
John Whitby is the Labour MP for Derbyshire Dales, and has been an MP continually since 4 July 2024.
Top eight by total divisions voted, this parliament. Volume measures engagement, not direction — see Notable Votes for free-vote moments and rebellions.
Source · The Public Whip · Hansard
Moments where the whip was free, or where Whitby broke ranks. Free votes are the truer signal of personal stance.
No rebellions or free votes recorded yet.
Source · Hansard
“Calls for a review of universal credit age-related rates to ensure care leavers aged 18–24 receive the same allowance as those 25 and over.”
“Cromford Mills needs immediate government support to secure £1.2 million in match funding to complete its restoration and financial viability.”
“Argues that the project captures 3 million tonnes of CO₂ annually, equivalent to a quarter of emissions from Derbyshire and Staffordshire, representing a national benefit to all co…”
“Welcomes the government's rape conviction reforms including the victims' right to review scheme and seeks a timeline for national roll-out.”
Bluesky is the only social platform we ingest at the row level. The strip below is computed by classifying each post for substance (vs reposts, social mentions, scheduling) and then by tone (critical / measured / supportive) per target.
Select, joint and other committees Whitby currently sits on. Committee work is where much of the line-by-line scrutiny of bills and departments happens, away from the chamber.
| Committee | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Audit Committee | Member | Select |
Source · UK Parliament Committees API
Committee seats are where backbenchers shape legislation and hold departments to account. Whitby sits on one.
| Department | Qs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Health and Social Care | 18 | 18.6% |
| Department for Energy Security and Net Zero | 16 | 16.5% |
| Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs | 14 | 14.4% |
| Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government | 9 | 9.3% |
| Department for Science, Innovation and Technology | 8 | 8.2% |
| Department for Education | 7 | 7.2% |
| Treasury | 5 | 5.2% |
| Department for Business and Trade | 4 | 4.1% |
What assessment his department has made into the potential use of upright MRI scans to diagnose Craniocervical Instability, particularly as it relates to Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Diagnostic investigations for suspected craniocervical instability in patients with Ehlers Danlos syndromes, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography, are available through existing National Health Service pathways…read full →
What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of policy measures adopted in Germany to improve energy efficiency and waste heat utilisation in data c
To address the growing energy demands of AI, the AI Energy Council was established. The Council offers expert insights into preparing the UK’s energy system to manage AI’s energy footprint, as well as harnessing AI’s potential within a mode…read full →
What steps he is taking to encourage the integration of data centres into local heat network zoning plans.
The Department is looking at how waste heat from data centres can be used to support the development of large scale, strategic heat networks. Through heat network zoning, certain buildings and heat sources, including data centres, can be re…read full →
Pursuant to her written statement of 2 March 2026 on Asylum changes, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the proposed Named Community Sponsorship scheme.
In the Restoring Order and Control policy statement, published on 21 November 2025, the Government committed to transforming its approach to safe and legal routes. This included the creation of a named sponsorship scheme to enable community…read full →
Role, work or services: Fostering
Role, work or services: Fostering
Payer: Derby City Council Social Services (Local Authority), Derby City Council, Council House, Corporati… |
Derby City Councillor, (unpaid since 10 October 2024 and previously registered u Derby City Councillor, (unpaid since 10 October 2024 and previously registered under Category 1)
(Registered 19 July 2024; updated 3 Octobe… |
Source · Members API · Last amended 4 Nov 2025
| Category | £ | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Staffing | 134,738 | 71.1% |
| Office Costs | 20,239 | 10.7% |
| Accommodation | 17,004 | 9.0% |
| Staff Travel | 11,158 | 5.9% |
| MP Travel | 6,432 | 3.4% |
| Total · 112 claims | 189,571 | 100% |
Source · IPSA · FY 24_25
Nothing tabled for Whitby on the published Order Paper this week.
| Year | Constituency | Votes | Share | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Derbyshire Dales | 17,759 | 34.6% | Won |
| 2019 | Peterborough | 400 | 1.2% | Lost |
| 2017 | North West Cambridgeshire | 2,518 | 3.9% | Lost |
| 2015 | North Cornwall | 2,621 | 5.4% | Lost |
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| John WhitbyWON | Lab | 17,759 | 34.6 |
Showing the MP’s own row only. Full result table: see Derbyshire Dales →