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Nicholas Ian Forbes CBE (born 8 November 1973) is a British politician who served as the Leader of the Labour Group of the Local Government Association from 2016 to 2022. He was Leader of Newcastle City Council from 2011 to 2022. In 2020, Forbes was appointed to Labour Leader Keir Starmer's Shadow Cabinet, serving until 2022[1]
Nick Forbes | |
|---|---|
| Leader of the Labour Group of the Local Government Association | |
| In office 6 January 2016 – 10 June 2022 Attending Shadow Cabinet: 6 April 2020 – 10 June 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Jim McMahon |
| Succeeded by | Shaun Davies |
| Leader of Newcastle City Council | |
| In office 5 May 2011 – 25 May 2022 | |
| Preceded by | David Faulkner |
| Succeeded by | Nick Kemp |
| Member of Newcastle City Council | |
| In office 4 May 2000 – 6 May 2022 | |
| Ward | Moorside (2000–2004) Westgate (2004–2018) Arthur's Hill (2018–2022) |
| Preceded by | J. Fear |
| Succeeded by | Abdul Samad |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Nicholas Iain Forbes 8 November 1973 County Durham, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | Selwyn College, Cambridge (BA) Sheffield Hallam University Open University (MA) |
Nicholas Ian Forbes was born on 8 November 1973 in County Durham.[2][3][4][5] He is openly gay and a patron of LGBT+ Labour.[6][7][8]
Forbes attended Wolsingham Comprehensive School in Weardale, County Durham, before studying social and political sciences at Selwyn College, Cambridge, where he obtained an upper second class honours degree.[9] He later studied for a management diploma from Sheffield Hallam University, and a master's degree in music from the Open University.[4]
Nick Forbes became a councillor in May 2000, representing the Westgate part of the city, and went on to become leader of the Labour group in May 2007.[10] In 2011, he became leader of the council following the 2011 local elections which saw the Liberal Democrats suffer heavy losses across the city, as well as nationally. He has been an extensive critic of the government's fiscal policy of cuts in funding to local government, and defended a policy of particularly cutting arts funding in the city in response.[11][12] Forbes is critical of Universal Credit.[13]
In February 2016, Forbes succeeded Jim McMahon as Labour's leader of the Local Government Association.[14] According to the LGA's website, Forbes "has played a leading role in raising the profile of local government in a time of austerity made economic growth a key feature of his council, securing new financial powers by negotiating one of the first round of City Deals with government. He has worked with leaders from across England to secure devolution packages for local government."[15] Forbes also served as the LGA's Senior Vice Chair.[15]
In 2019, Forbes unsuccessfully sought selection to be Labour's candidate in the 2019 North of Tyne mayoral election, losing to Jamie Driscoll.[16][17]
As a result of being deselected by the Labour branch in his Arthur's Hill seat ahead of the 2022 council election, Forbes stepped down as Labour group leader.[18] He stepped down as leader of the city council on 5 May 2022.[19][20]
Forbes was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2019 New Year Honours for services to local government.[21]
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