Tom Levitt

Tom Levitt (born 10 April 1954) is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament for High Peak from 1997 to 2010. He was raised in Leek, Staffordshire, attended Westwood High School after it became comprehensive, and earned a biology degree from Lancaster University along with a teaching qualification from Oxford University.

Before entering politics, Levitt worked as a teacher and authored textbooks on intertidal ecology and disabled access services. He also wrote books on Deaf Awareness and trained others in this field.

In his political career, Levitt was known for his work in disability rights and used British Sign Language (BSL) in Parliament, a rare skill among MPs. He held various roles, including chairing the Community Development Foundation and serving on committees focused on standards and disability issues.

Levitt faced scrutiny during the 2009 expenses scandal, revealing an accidental claim of £16.50 for a wreath. His total expenses were among the highest, around £168k in one year. After leaving politics, he founded Sector4Focus to promote public-private partnerships and co-founded Fair for You, a social enterprise tackling poverty.

Originally from Buxton, Levitt now resides in west London and has written two plays: *Making Allowances* (2010) and *PowerPlay* (2018). He later distanced himself from Labour, resigning in 2019 to support Change UK - The Independent Group.