Ian Mearns

Who is Ian Mearns?

Ian Mearns is a British Labour Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for Gateshead. He was first elected at the 2010 general election.

Born in Newcastle upon Tyne to a World War II veteran, Mearns was educated at St Mary's RC Primary School, Forest Hall and St Mary's RC Technical College in Newcastle. He worked for British Gas plc from 1974. He has been a member of Gateshead Borough Council since 1983. In Parliament he has served on the Education Select Committee since 2010.

In March 2013 Ian resigned as PPS to Ivan Lewis in order to defy the Labour whip and vote against the Jobseekers Bill which retroactively changed DWP rules relating to mandatory unpaid labour schemes for the unemployed.