Paul was born and raised in Sunderland and is a proud Mackem.

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He attended Southmoor Comprehensive School in Sunderland as well as St Roberts in Washington.

He is currently a Sunderland city councillor for Grindon, Hastings Hill, Springwell and Thorney Close; and is leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group on the Council.

He has worked at several places across the city including at the Saltgrass and Kings Arms pubs, the Stadium of Light and for Royal Mail at Doxford International Business Park. He currently works as Campaigns and Communications Manager for consumer organisation CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) which works to protect and promote quality real ale and community pubs. In this role he works with volunteers, communities and organisations to secure changes in the law and to get support from the Government and local councils to help keep well-run local pubs open, alive and thriving.

Paul's feels that for too long Labour MPs for communities on Wearside have been allowed to get away with doing next to nothing instead of fighting for jobs, investment and improvements for Wearside.

Houghton, Hetton and Sunderland desperately need a strong Liberal Democrat opposition voice standing up for local people against a heartless Conservative Government and against decades of complacency and neglect from local Labour MPs and the Labour-run Council.