Focus Story

Former RNC alumni, Steve Darling MP, is a prominent British Liberal Democrat politician who has made significant contributions to his community and beyond. Steve’s key interests have included tackling poverty, protecting our environment, and giving power back to people. Steve has had a remarkable career both locally and nationally.

His political journey began in 1995 when he was first elected to Torbay Borough Council representing the ward of Shiphay. As the council transitioned to a unitary authority known as Torbay Council in 1998, Steve has continued his service and Steve is the longest serving councillor on Torbay Council, now representing Barton and Watcombe ward. Steve has now served the people of Torbay as a councillor for more than 30 years.

From May 2019 to May 2023, Steve served as the leader of Torbay Council, where the authority saw the significant improvement in services for the people of Torbay resulting in the Councill being awarded “Most improved Council of the year 2023” by the Local Government Chronicle Awards. This award was due to a greater grip on the finances and children’s services being judged by Ofsted changing from “failing” to “good”.

Steve was pivotal in helping Liberal Democrats to win Torbay’s parliamentary seat from the Conservatives in 1997 by only 12 votes. Whilst being a councillor, Steve worked in Adrian Sanders MP’s constituency office as a senior caseworker, gaining valuable experience in constituent services.

In 2023, Steve was selected as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Torbay. In the 2024 general election Steve turned over a 17,000 Conservative majority into a more than 5000 Liberal Democrat majority. His victory marked a significant achievement for the Liberal Democrats, now being one of their 72 MPs, and is currently Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions.

Steve’s early life was marked by his adoption in Birmingham at three months old, and his move to Torquay in Devon when he was 18 months old. In the 2000s, he traced his birth family and discovered that they lived nearby in Devon.

Steve is registered blind due to Stargardt disease, a genetic eye condition that affects his vision, and he was a student at RNC from 1985-1988. It was during his time as a student at the college that he met his wife Mandy, who is also registered blind. He describes his sight as being “a bit like looking through frosted glass.” To aid his mobility, he relies on his guide dog, Jennie, who is three-quarters Golden Retriever and one-quarter Labrador. Steve and Mandy have two sons together.