Vera Baird

Vera Baird QC (born Vera Thomas on 13 February 1950) is a British Labour Party activist, barrister, author and lecturer. She serves as a visiting professor at London South Bank University and a visiting law lecturer at Teesside University. She is also an honorary fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford, a co-director of Astraea Gender Justice (research and education) and the chair of Eaves for Women Charity. She is the only woman honorary member of the Durham Miners Association. She was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Redcar from 2001 to 2010, when she lost her seat to the Liberal Democrats with the highest swing against any Labour candidate anywhere in the country prompted by local anger over the closure of Teesside Steelworks.

Baird is Labour's candidate to be the Police and Crime Commissioner in Northumbria, selected by the highest vote for any candidate nationwide in a one-member-one-vote ballot of Northumbria Labour Party members. She featured her intention to champion neighbourhood policing, improve how anti-social behaviour and drug crime are dealt with and prioritise tackling violence against women.