Member of Parliament
Dr Al Pinkerton
Liberal Democrat MP for Surrey Heath
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Europe)
At a glanceDr Al Pinkerton is a Liberal Democrat MP for Surrey Heath, and has represented the seat for 2 years. They currently serve as Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Europe). They have cast 394 votes in Commons divisions (69% attendance), tabled 1,492 written questions and registered 5 financial interests.
Attendance is votes cast as a share of the 575 Commons divisions since the 2024 election; Dr Al Pinkerton did not vote in 181. A rebellion is a vote against the way most of their own party voted; free votes, where no party line applies, are left out.
Party-loyalty figures are our own analysis of the official voting records (recorded votes only; they do not describe the formal whip). How we work this out.
Biography
He currently undertakes the role of Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Europe).
Current roles
- Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Europe) Opposition post · Opposition Department since 1 Oct 2025
- Ecclesiastical Committee Committee since 5 Nov 2024
- Surrey Heath Representation · Elected 1 time since 4 Jul 2024
- Liberal Democrat Party since 4 Jul 2024
Voting record
Voting alignment
Votes most like
-
Brian Mathew
Liberal Democrat
100.0% · 332 of 332 shared votes
-
Calum Miller
Liberal Democrat
99.7% · 367 of 368 shared votes
-
Munira Wilson
Liberal Democrat
99.7% · 359 of 360 shared votes
-
Sarah Olney
Liberal Democrat
99.7% · 316 of 317 shared votes
-
Wendy Chamberlain
Liberal Democrat
99.7% · 300 of 301 shared votes
Votes least like
-
Ian Murray
Labour
10.0% · 26 of 260 shared votes
-
Catherine West
Labour
10.8% · 26 of 240 shared votes
-
Mr Hamish Falconer
Labour
11.3% · 28 of 248 shared votes
-
Tahir Ali
Labour
11.4% · 35 of 308 shared votes
-
Jodie Gosling
Labour
11.7% · 34 of 290 shared votes
Alignment figures are our own analysis of the official voting records (recorded votes only; they do not describe the formal whip). How we work this out.
Register of financial interests
From the official Register; shown as registered.
Employment and earnings1
- Visiting Professor in Geopolitics - Royal Holloway University (registered 2 Aug 2024)
Employment and earnings - Ad hoc payments1
- Payment received on 27 June 2025 - £4,106.21 (registered 28 Jul 2025)
Visits outside the UK3
- International visit to Cayman Islands between 13 February 2026 and 17 February 2026 (registered 6 Mar 2026)
- International visit to Brunei between 25 May 2025 and 29 May 2025 (registered 15 Oct 2025)
- International visit to Gibraltar between 09 July 2025 and 11 July 2025 (registered 28 Jul 2025)
Written questions
Immigration Controls: EU Countries
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of (a) Eurotunnel Folkestone, (b) Eurostar at St Pancras International and (c) the Port of Dover regarding the (i) installation and (ii) operat
Answer · 13 Jul 2026
The Home Office does not hold information on the number of British citizens who have used specific ports of entry at (a) the Port of Dover, (b) Eurotunnel Folkestone, and (c) St Pancras International in the form requested.No government department routinel...
UK Border Force: Staff
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the full-time equivalent staffing headcount of Border Force was at (a) the Port of Dover, (b) Eurotunnel Folkestone and (c) Eurostar St Pancras International in each year since 2024.
Answer · 14 Jul 2026
Border Force operates a flexible resourcing model, regularly assessing operational needs and deploying staff dynamically in response to passenger volumes and security requirements. Maintaining the security and efficiency of the UK border remains a top pri...
Immigration Controls: EU Countries
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 6 July 2026 to Question 15179, what estimate her Department has made of the number of British citizens who have used ports of entry at (a) the Port of Dover, (b) Eurotunnel F
Answer · 13 Jul 2026
The Home Office does not hold information on the number of British citizens who have used specific ports of entry at (a) the Port of Dover, (b) Eurotunnel Folkestone, and (c) St Pancras International in the form requested.No government department routinel...
Debt Collection: Private Sector
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of mechanisms available to support UK small and medium-sized enterprises in recovering outstanding commercial debts from overseas entities that are subject to
Answer · 13 Jul 2026
The Government keeps the implementation and effectiveness of its sanctions regimes under review, including through cross-government work on sanctions implementation and enforcement, and regular engagement with industry. The recent review of the Sanctions ...
Civil Proceedings: Small Businesses
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the financial impact on UK small and medium-sized enterprises of defending civil litigation (a) brought and (b) contested in UK courts by (i) individuals and (ii) entiti
Answer · 14 Jul 2026
Lord Justice Jackson’s Review of Civil Litigation Costs considered the cost of defending civil claims, and aimed to rebalance the risk between claimants and defendants in order to promote access to justice at proportionate cost. The final report can be fo...
Business: Debts
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance her Department provides to UK businesses seeking to verify whether a non-domestic commercial debtor is subject to UK financial sanctions.
Answer · 13 Jul 2026
Businesses can check whether a person or entity is subject to UK financial sanctions by consulting the UK Sanctions List: FCDO - UK Sanctions List Search - GOV.UK. Further guidance, including on the territorial scope of UK financial sanctions and circumst...
Unemployment: Young People
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department provides to people aged 25 to 30 who are unemployed but do not fall within the NEET category.
Answer · 15 Jul 2026
The Department for Work and Pensions offers a range of employment support that those aged 25-30 can benefit from. This includes financial support through the Flexible Support Fund to help with interviews or starting work, and tailored, flexible support th...
Business: Billing
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to establish a dedicated implementation taskforce to oversee enforcement of the Small Business Protections Bill and wider late payment reforms.
Answer · 9 Jul 2026
This Government is committed to the successful implementation of the Commercial Payments Bill. The Bill is designed to strengthen the powers of the Small Business Commissioner to investigate poor payment practices, adjudicate disputes and take enforcement...
Early day motions
| 25 Jun 2026 | A new growth and defence partnership with Europe | 28 sig. |
| 23 Jun 2026 | Camberley men's breakfast club | 13 sig. |
| 9 Jun 2026 | Reducing trade and mobility barriers between the UK and EU | 40 sig. |
| 9 Jun 2026 | Mutual recognition of professional qualifications | 35 sig. |
| 9 Jun 2026 | Touring artists mobility arrangements | 53 sig. |
| 21 May 2026 | UK-EU Youth Mobility Scheme | 38 sig. |
Speeches in the chamber
16 Jul 2026 Gibraltar: UK-EU Treaty
I draw the attention of the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, having had the privilege of visiting Gibraltar last July. I warmly welcome the agreement and congratulate the Minister and the Government, toget…
8 Jul 2026 European Entry and Exit System
It is clear that the delay to the UK-EU reset summit—it was initially scheduled for July, but has now been delayed till October—has not cancelled the problems which that summit was, at least in part, designed to address. Might the Minister…
8 Jul 2026 Draft Trade (Mobile Roaming) (Amendment) Regulations 2026
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Jardine. I was recently in Iceland and have just been reviewing the text messages I received there. I am a customer of EE, which the Minister mentioned; I was told that I could enjoy up…
8 Jul 2026 Draft UK-EU Agreement on Gibraltar
It is a great pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Sir John. I congratulate the hon. Member for Brigg and Immingham (Martin Vickers) on securing this important debate. I draw Members’ attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ F…
2 Jul 2026 Commonhold and Leasehold Reform: Managing Agents
I thank the Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, the hon. Member for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green (Florence Eshalomi), for securing today’s important debate. I want to use the brief time I have to share two ex…
2 Jul 2026 Historical Forced Adoption
I thank the Prime Minister for his statement today and for the apology on behalf of the state. I acknowledge the visitors we have in the Gallery today and the extraordinary testimonies of Members across this House. So often this Chamber is…
1 Jul 2026 Engagements
I associate myself with the Prime Minister’s condolences and his birthday good wishes to the NHS. Everyone in my constituency of Surrey Heath wants a new Frimley Park hospital, but the chosen site—the last remaining fragment of the anci…
1 Jul 2026 Engagements
Q1. If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 1 July.
30 Jun 2026 Defence Investment Plan
Since we have been in the Chamber, it has been reported online that senior military personnel are deeply unhappy with the DIP and, indeed, that the Chief of the Defence Staff asked the Secretary of State to remove a line that suggested th…
24 Jun 2026 Media Green Paper
During a recent bombing of Tehran, a power outage hit that city and 20,000 bots promoting the cause of Scottish nationalism turned off instantaneously. I say that not to question in any way the legitimacy of a political position—admittedly…
23 Jun 2026 Defence Spending and Readiness
The right hon. Gentleman makes a curious argument. The United Kingdom is a modern 21st-century European nation. I had a very pleasant cycle to and from Fulham this morning on a Lime bike using our cycleways. Frankly, I do not think it is a…
23 Jun 2026 Defence Spending and Readiness
Both my hon. Friend the Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale and I in my role as spokesperson today have acknowledged the mistakes that were made in the past. Frankly, I think that those mistakes need to be shared across the House, because …
23 Jun 2026 Defence Spending and Readiness
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman—my near neighbour and friend—for his intervention. The private Member’s Bill that he describes sounds entirely consistent with the argument that I am making today. I shall take the opportunity to study t…
23 Jun 2026 Defence Spending and Readiness
The right hon. Gentleman clearly knew exactly the structure that I would adopt today. This is where the consensus briefly ends. I contend that the Conservatives’ Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 failed vict…
23 Jun 2026 Defence Spending and Readiness
I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman—and, if I may say so, my friend; he has supported me in debates in the past—for his intervention. We are opposed to the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, which delivers neither justice for victims no…
23 Jun 2026 Defence Spending and Readiness
My hon. Friend puts her finger on an incredibly important point that is intrinsic to the publication of the DIP. We should never ignore the experiences of women in our armed forces, who perform brave service every day.
23 Jun 2026 Defence Spending and Readiness
My hon. Friend speaks from a position of authority from his personal experience and his role in Committees in this House. I defer, as always, to his superior insights on the matter, and would not differ on anything he has suggested. Bri…
23 Jun 2026 Defence Spending and Readiness
My hon. Friend has asked me to speculate on elements of the DIP that I have not seen; he has the privilege of the insights he has gained from his recent visit. I simply point out that investment in the kind of structures and networks that …
23 Jun 2026 Defence Spending and Readiness
I am going to make some progress. The Liberal Democrat amendment recognises the reality that I have outlined on Europe, the United States, and Britain’s role at the heart of European defence. It speaks of the scale of the threat, the ur…
23 Jun 2026 Defence Spending and Readiness
The money is there. If we do not spend it up front, we end up spending it further down the line in not only treasure but blood.
Source: contributions on parliament.uk.
Full parliamentary career
Opposition posts
- Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Northern Ireland) · Opposition Department 18 Sep 2024 – 1 Oct 2025
Committee memberships
- Northern Ireland Affairs Committee 28 Oct 2024 – 13 Nov 2025
Expenses
Contact & offices
Parliamentary office
House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Dr Al Pinkerton, answered from official Parliament data.
Who is Dr Al Pinkerton?
Dr Al Pinkerton is a Member of Parliament representing Surrey Heath in the House of Commons. See Dr Al Pinkerton's official Parliament profile.
Which party does Dr Al Pinkerton represent?
Dr Al Pinkerton sits as Liberal Democrat. See Dr Al Pinkerton's official Parliament profile.
Which constituency does Dr Al Pinkerton represent?
Dr Al Pinkerton is the Member of Parliament for Surrey Heath. See Dr Al Pinkerton's official Parliament profile.
How long has Dr Al Pinkerton been an MP?
Dr Al Pinkerton has served in the House of Commons for 2 years. See Dr Al Pinkerton's official Parliament profile.
What registered interests are listed for Dr Al Pinkerton?
Dr Al Pinkerton has 5 entries in the Register of Members' Financial Interests. See Dr Al Pinkerton's official Parliament profile.
Source: this MP's official Parliament profile. Last updated 26 Jul 2026.