Gibson was born in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, to parents Alexander Francis Gibson and Anita Gibson (née Popple).[2] He grew up in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, attending the town's Huntcliff Secondary School and then Sir William Turner's Sixth Form College in Redcar. He studied law at the University of Newcastle, graduating with an LLB in 1997. In 2000, he gained a Postgraduate Certificate in Legal Practice from the College of Law in York.[4]
Gibson worked for Corries Solicitors in York from 1998 onwards: he was admitted as a solicitor in 2001, and stayed with the firm in that role until 2005. That year, he joined Minster Law Solicitors in York, and worked as a solicitor for them until 2006.[2]
Prior to being elected as an MP, he worked as a solicitor specialising in personal injury litigation: he was the Principal Solicitor and Managing Director of Coles Solicitors in Northallerton from 2006 to 2019.[5][4] After selling Coles Solicitors, he was a Managing Director of Kingly Solicitors in London for several months, resigning on the day of the 2019 general election.[6]
Gibson was previously the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Redcar in 2017.[8] He was defeated by Labour incumbent Anna Turley, but increased the Conservative share of the vote by 17%, bringing them from fourth to second place in the constituency with 33.2%.[9]
Gibson defeated Labour's shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman at the 2019 general election, taking the seat for the Conservatives for the first time in 27 years and securing a majority of over 3,000.[10]
Gibson used his maiden speech in the House of Commons to advocate several constituency issues.[11] During his first nine months as an MP representing Darlington, Gibson was involved with a number of local projects. In an article published in a regional newspaper, The Northern Echo, Gibson said: "I've spoken with the head of every school and college, and have launched the Darlington Debates competition in conjunction with the amazing Darlington Rotary Club. I've hosted Zoom calls for Scouts, helped pack bags, organised and participated in numerous litterpicks, helped establish the new Friends of North Cemetery and attended their first clean up, and I've lobbied Network Rail to smarten up its bridges which serve as a gateway to our town."[12]
In Parliament, he was a member of the Women and Equalities Committee from March 2020 to June 2021.[13] In March 2020, Gibson said that he took a train journey home while suffering a suspected case of COVID-19, posting a message on his Facebook page saying: "When it was suspected that I had covid I was advised to travel home and isolate in my home, undertaking a 250 mile journey from London."[14]
In October 2020, as part of a protest organised by some Darlington residents, empty plates and teddy bears were placed outside his constituency office after he voted against a Labour Party Opposition Day Motion to extend free school meals over holidays.[15]
