In 2007, at the age of 18, Pursglove became the youngest councillor in the country when he was elected for Croyland Ward on Wellingborough Borough Council. The election saw the Conservative Party extend their dominance in Wellingborough, winning 30 of the 36 posts available. Pursglove was re-elected in 2011, but did not stand again in 2015.[7]
Pursglove was elected as MP for Corby at the 2015 general election with 42.8% of the vote and a majority of 2,412.[9] He won back for the Conservatives a seat that had been lost to Labour in a 2012 by-election after the former Conservative MP Louise Mensch stood down.[10]
Pursglove was re-elected at the 2017 general election with an increased vote share of 49.2% and an increased majority of 2,690 votes.[11]
In February 2018, following the announcement that Northamptonshire County Council had brought in a section 114 notice, putting it in special measures following a crisis in its finances, Pursglove was one of seven local MPs who released a statement arguing that the problems with the authority were down to mismanagement from the Conservative councillors who led it rather than funding cuts from the Conservative Government. They further argued that government commissioners should take over the running of the council.[12]
On 27 July 2018, following Ben Bradley's resignation over disagreements with the government's policy on Brexit, Pursglove was selected to replace him as Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party for Youth. In February 2019, fellow Conservative MP Nigel Huddleston replaced Pursglove in the role following his resignation over the approach of the party towards Brexit.[13]
In October 2023, Pursglove was reported to have been campaigning with Peter Bone, who had been suspended from the House of Commons and had had the Conservative whip suspended.[18] Following criticism by the Labour Party about this, the Prime Minister's spokesman said that Rishi Sunak had confidence in Pursglove.[19]
In the general election of 2024 he was defeated by the Labour party candidate.
Political views
Criticism of the European Union
Pursglove was one of the founders of Grassroots Out, an organisation which advocated United Kingdom withdrawal from the European Union. The organisation was led by politicians from a range of political parties, including fellow Conservative MP Peter Bone and Labour MP Kate Hoey. In February 2016 it was announced that Pursglove and fellow Conservative MP Peter Bone would be speakers at the UKIP Spring Conference. Although rare for representatives of rival political parties to appear at such events, they argued any role they had there would be as representatives of the Grassroots Out group.[20]
In April 2016, Pursglove was criticised for taking payments of £21,750 from the Grassroots Out campaign, of which he was chief executive, which some fellow campaigners argued should have been donated to further campaigning. However, he argued his work had "keep costs to a minimum, allowing us to spend the maximum amount on campaigning", rather than hiring outside expertise.[21] In May 2016, he stated that, given the choice, he would ultimately prefer to see Britain leave the EU than his party secure another majority at the next general election, but also said that he was a 'loyal Conservative' and had no desire to defect to UKIP.[22]
The environment
In 2015, Pursglove expressed scepticism about human influence on climate change and advocated abolishing the Department of Energy and Climate Change.[23] Also in 2015, Pursglove questioned public spending on reducing carbon emissions in the UK on the grounds that countries such as China produce more emissions and therefore needed to take more action.[24]
Notes
^As Minister of State for Immigration from September to October 2022.
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