Paul Maynard, born on 16 December 1975 in Crewe, Cheshire, is a British Conservative politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Blackpool North and Cleveleys from 2010 until 2024. He was educated at St Ambrose College in Altrincham and later earned a first-class degree in history from University College, Oxford. Before entering Parliament, Maynard worked as a political adviser and speechwriter.
Throughout his parliamentary career, Maynard held several governmental positions. He served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport from July 2016 to January 2018 and again from July 2019 to February 2020. In May 2019, he briefly held the role of Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice. In November 2023, he was appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions, a position he held until July 2024. In the 2024 general election, following boundary changes, the Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency was restructured, leading to the creation of the Blackpool North and Fleetwood seat. Maynard contested this new seat but was defeated by Labour’s Lorraine Beavers.
Maynard has been open about his personal challenges, including living with mild cerebral palsy and epilepsy. He has been an advocate for disability rights and has chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cerebral Palsy. Throughout his tenure, Maynard was known for his commitment to his constituents and his work on transport and justice issues. Despite the challenges and controversies he faced, he maintained a focus on public service and advocacy.
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