Karen Clark (British politician)
Karen Clark | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2025 | |
| Mayor of North Tyneside | |
| Assumed office 5 May 2025 | |
| Deputy | Carl Johnson |
| Preceded by | Norma Redfearn |
| Majority | 444 (0.8%) |
| North Tyneside Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing | |
| In office 11 May 2021 – 5 May 2025 | |
| Mayor | Norma Redfearn |
| Succeeded by | Joan Walker |
| Member of North Tyneside Council for Longbenton and Benton Longbenton (2015–2024) | |
| In office 7 May 2015 – 5 May 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Kevin Conroy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Karen Anne Clark North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | Northumbria University |
Karen Anne Clark is a British politician who has served as the mayor of North Tyneside since 2025. A member of the Labour Party, she served as a member of North Tyneside Council for the ward of Longbenton and Benton (formerly Longbenton) from 2015 to 2025. From 2021 to 2025, she served under former mayor Norma Redfearn as her cabinet member for public health and wellbeing.
Early life and career
Karen Anne Clark[1] was born and raised in North Tyneside.[2] She has two siblings, her brother Tom and her sister Julie. They grew up in a deprived area of the borough where they lived in poverty.[3] Clark attended Northumbria University, where she studied social research and sociology.[4]
In 2007, Clark and her sister Julie founded Justice Prince Community Interest Company, a volunteering organisation which aims to tackle social and regional economic inequality in the North East of England.[5][6][7] She is also a former teacher and youth worker.[4]
Political career
In the 2015 North Tyneside Council election, Clark was elected to serve as the Labour councillor for the Longbenton ward.[8] She was re-elected in the 2019 and 2023 council elections.[9] In the 2024 North Tyneside Council election, she was elected to represent the reorganised Longbenton and Benton ward.[10][11]
In 2021, Clark was appointed to the cabinet of North Tyneside mayor Norma Redfearn as the cabinet member for public health and wellbeing.[12][13][14] In 2024, Clark was selected as Labour's candidate in the 2025 North Tyneside mayoral election after Norma Redfearn, the outgoing Labour mayor, endorsed her for the role.[13][15]
In her mayoral campaign, Clark campaigned on economic investment, employment and continuity with Redfearn's administration.[16][17] In an interview with the BBC, she said she would focus on introducing "good quality jobs", attracting additional government funding for North Tyneside and cooperating with local businesses to attract economic growth.[18]
On 2 May 2025, Clark was elected as the new mayor of North Tyneside with 16,230 votes, or 30.2% of the vote, with a majority of 444.[19][20] In her victory speech, she thanked her supporters and said she would work to make "North Tyneside an even better place to live, work and visit".[21] She pledged to focus on attracting new jobs, building more affordable social housing and improving opportunities for young people.[22] After her election as mayor, Clark stood down from her position as a councillor for Longbenton and Benton, triggering a by-election for that ward.[23][24]
References
- ^ "Mayoral election results: 2025 results". North Tyneside Council. 2 May 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ Shakespeare, Austen (31 October 2024). "Labour announces councillor as North Tyneside Council Mayoral candidate for 2025". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ Košťálová, Helena (2017). The Diverse World of Career Guidance (PDF). European Contact Group. pp. 17–20. ISBN 978-80-87993-04-0. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Justice Prince Directors and Staff". Justice Prince. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
- ^ Volpe, Sam (15 December 2023). "Longbenton community garden gets renewable power as part of vital fight against health inequality". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
- ^ "About Us". Justice Prince Community Interest Company. Archived from the original on 4 December 2023. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ Shakespeare, Austen (17 October 2024). "Dame Norma Redfearn endorses cabinet colleague as candidate for mayor". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "2015 local election results". North Tyneside Council. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "2019 local election results". North Tyneside Council. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "2024 local election results". North Tyneside Council. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ Younger, Owen (13 September 2024). "Councillor launches campaign to become next North Tyneside Elected Mayor". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 25 September 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Councillor Karen Clark". North Tyneside Council. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ a b Shakespeare, Austen (19 October 2024). "Mayor backs her Labour colleague in election race". The Journal. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Elected Mayor appoints new Cabinet". North Tyneside Council. 11 May 2021. Archived from the original on 24 April 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ Shakespeare, Austen (31 October 2024). "Labour announces mayoral election candidate". BBC News. Archived from the original on 6 November 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Who is in the running to be North Tyneside mayor?". BBC News. 6 April 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ Ashton, Jake (25 April 2025). "Labour's Karen Clark Dominates Betting in North Tyneside Mayoral Race". OLBG.com. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ Shakespeare, Austen (1 May 2025). "Who are the candidates for the North Tyneside mayoral election?". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "North Tyneside Mayor election results". BBC News. 2 May 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ "Labour squeezes past Reform in North Tyneside". BBC News. 2 May 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ Shakespeare, Austen (2 May 2025). "Labour clings on to win North Tyneside Mayoral election by less than 500 votes". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ Shakespeare, Austen (2 May 2025). "New North Tyneside Mayor pledges to focus on housing, youth opportunities, and jobs". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
- ^ Shakespeare, Austen (9 May 2025). "Vacancy declared in new North Tyneside Mayor's former ward". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ^ Shakespeare, Austen (27 May 2025). "By-elections triggered in North Tyneside following Mayoral race". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 28 May 2025.