Dylan Tippetts
Dylan Tippetts | |
|---|---|
| Plymouth City Councillor for Compton ward | |
| Assumed office 6 May 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Andrea Johnson |
| Majority | 104 (3.0%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 December 2000 Taunton, Somerset |
| Political party | Liberal Democrats |
| Other political affiliations | Independent (2025) Labour (until 2025) |
| Education | University of Plymouth |
Dylan James Tippetts (born 2 December 2000) is a British politician who has served as councillor for Compton in Plymouth since 2022. He is Plymouth City Council's first openly transgender councillor and one of the first trans councillors in the UK.
Early life
[edit]Dylan Tippetts was born in Taunton in Somerset on 2 December 2000, and grew up in Bridgwater.[1][2] He came out as transgender in 2018, and moved to Plymouth shortly after.[2][3] At time of election, he was a law student at the University of Plymouth.[4][5]
Political career
[edit]Tippetts stood as the Labour Co-operative candidate for Compton ward in the 2022 Plymouth City Council election. He won the seat, becoming the ward's first Labour councillor.[6] His election also saw him become the first trans councillor in the city.[7] Speaking about winning the seat, he said:
“If I can help someone realise that trans people are just normal human beings like everyone else, with the same hopes and dreams, (and) just help dial down some of the real hate and division at the moment, that would be incredible. It would be even more of an honour to show a young person who might be scared of coming out that everything’s going to be OK and everything that they want in life can come true.”[8][9][10]
On 9 May 2025 Tippetts resigned as a member of the Labour Party, and announced he would be sitting for his final year on Plymouth City Council as an independent councillor.[11] He cited the Labour Party's lack of support for transgender people.[11] In his resignation statement, he said:
"The Labour Party nationally has thrown transgender people under the bus and has taken us backwards decades. Everyone deserves the right to live peacefully, and the Labour Party continues to deny transgender people that basic right.I cannot continue to represent a party that does not support my fundamental rights. I cannot as a trans person continue to support the Labour Party."[11]
Despite stating that he would serve the rest of his term as an independent, on 15 May 2025 he announced he had joined the Liberal Democrats.[12][13]
Personal life
[edit]Tippetts lives in Mutley Plain in Plymouth.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ "Local election results 2022". 2022-05-05. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
- ^ a b Jones (PA), Henry; Codd, Toby (2022-05-06). "Somerset-born Dylan becomes city's first trans councillor". SomersetLive. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
- ^ "Dylan Tippetts makes history as Plymouth's first openly trans councillor". Gay Times. 2022-05-06. Retrieved 2022-10-16.
- ^ a b Clark, Daniel (2022-04-26). "Council election candidates say why you should vote for them". PlymouthLive. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
- ^ Eve, Carl (8 October 2022). "Plymouth police step up safety for students 'at their most vulnerable'". Plymouth Herald. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
- ^ Johnson, James (2022-05-06). "Plymouth's first trans councillor says it is 'amazing'". PlymouthLive. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
- ^ "Plymouth man on 'massive honour' of being city's first trans councillor". ITV News. 2022-05-06. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
- ^ "Plymouth's first trans councillor hopes to 'dial down hate and division'". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ Jones, Henry (2022-05-06). "Plymouth's first trans councillor hopes to 'dial down hate and division'". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ "Newly elected trans councillors will 'help to widen public understanding'". The Independent. 2022-05-06. Retrieved 2022-05-07.
- ^ a b c O'Reilly, Luke (2025-05-09). "Trans Labour councillor resigns from party over 'throwing trans people under the bus'". LabourList. Retrieved 2025-05-09.
- ^ "Councillor Dylan Tippetts joins the Liberal Democrats". Plymouth Liberal Democrats. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
- ^ Perry, Sophie (15 May 2025). "Trans councillor who accused Labour of 'throwing trans people under the bus' joins the Lib Dems". Pink News. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
- English transgender politicians
- English transgender men
- Transgender male politicians
- 2000 births
- Living people
- Alumni of the University of Plymouth
- Politicians from Plymouth, Devon
- People from Bridgwater
- Independent councillors in the United Kingdom
- Labour Party (UK) councillors
- Liberal Democrats (UK) councillors
- Councillors in Devon