Tom Tugendhat
Conservative · Tonbridge
FULL PROFILETom Tugendhat is the Conservative MP for Tonbridge, first elected in 2015. He is 52 years old. As an opposition MP, they are expected to vote against the government on most whipped divisions.
Ideology
Voting Behaviour
Key Interests
National Security · Defence Policy · International Affairs · Government Transparency · Regional Security
Positions
Immigration — Supports stricter controls
strong
European Integration — Pro-EU integration
strong
COVID-19 Response — Supports public health measures but opposes excessive restrictions
moderate
Government Transparency — Advocates for openness and accountability
moderate
International Aid — Opposes cuts to aid spending
moderate
Fire Safety — Supports stronger building safety measures
moderate
National Security — Advocates for robust defence and security policies
strong
Ministerial Powers — Opposes excessive delegation of powers to ministers
moderate
Notable Rebellions
2021-07-13 — Voted against government cuts to international aid spending, reflecting concern about UK's global commitments
2020-12-01 — Opposed COVID tier restrictions, showing concern about proportionality of government response
2021-04-28 — Supported Lords amendments on fire safety, prioritizing building safety over government position
Reasoning Style
Security-focused and evidence-based, drawing on military experience to assess threats and policy effectiveness. Balances party loyalty with principled opposition when government overreaches on powers or abandons international commitments.
Background
Former Army officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan before entering parliament, bringing military experience and security expertise to his political career.