Born in Redruth,[3] Moon was christened as Peregrine and nicknamed Perran as a child.[4] His father, Charles, was a GP. His mother was a nurse at Treliske Hospital. One of seven children, Moon attended Trewirgie School[5] and then St Erbyn's school in Penzance.[4]
Career
Moon had a 30 year career in business before joining Parliament. He worked in retail for Nissan and Renault. From 2004, he was marketing director at Manheim UK and then at Auto Trader.[6] Until 2024, was the chief marketing officer and interim CEO of Believ,[7] an electric vehicle charging business.[8]
An advocate of the switch from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric, on World EV Day 2024 he said: "World EV day is a crucial date in our calendar, as it spotlights perhaps the single largest solution to cleaner air and reduced carbon emissions – electric vehicles.
"The climate crisis is existential. We need to significantly reduce carbon emissions and our reliance of fossil fuels, for a brighter future. We need to do it now and, crucially, we need to do it together.
"To do this, we not only have to raise awareness of the cause, but how charge point operators, businesses, local authorities and government can work together to help communities across the UK make the switch to an electric future and ensure no one is left behind."[9]
Moon who is MP for the furthest southerly Labour constituency in the UK, which also includes Perranporth, St Agnes, Porthtowan, Portreath, Pool, Stithians, Constantine and Mawnan Smith, said in a speech after the results were announced that the election had established a "new Cornish red wall" after Labour won four of the six seats in Cornwall.[12] He was one of six MPs who, in 2024, took their parliamentary affirmations in the Cornish language.[13]
In his maiden speech, Moon said: "My own inspiration for being here comes from my three children, my daughter and my two sons, who join us in the Public Gallery today." He went on to say that it was: "An unparalleled privilege to represent one’s home constituency, and the ties that bind Cornish men and women to our homeland are woven into every sinew of our being. The constituency of Camborne, Redruth and Hayle is a truly remarkable place: the place where I was born and grew up and where I live."[14]
In September 2024, Moon was named as a member of the Great British Energy Bill Committee, which is tasked with bringing the new legislation before Parliament.[15]
Moon is an advocate for renewables and the mining of tin and of lithium for batteries in his constituency. In a renewable energy Parliamentary debate in October 2024, Moon said: "The time to act in Cornwall is right now. We have the US State Department, which is very interested in our renewable opportunities, and representatives from France coming to Cornwall. It would be a crying shame if our Government did not use the advantages available to make Cornwall a renewable energies cluster."[16]
The engagement of young people in his community is a key priority for Moon. For instance, in November 2024, he visited Pool Academy in his constituency and as well as sharing insights about his role, he: "Encouraged students to stay informed, engage with their communities, and recognise the importance of their voices in shaping the future."[17]
Moon has been an active campaigner against pollution, especially discharges into rivers and the sea. In an Independent Water Commission session in Parliament in October 2024, he said: "Sewage polluting Cornish beaches such as those in my constituency - specifically, St Agnes, where Surfers Against Sewage has its head office, Perranporth and Portreath - is yet another Conservative scandal that has damaged our economy and society for years, and that a Labour Government will now have to clear up."[18]
Moon was previously a Labour & Co-operative Party district councillor for Banbury Grimsbury & Hightown ward in Cherwell district council in Oxfordshire from 2019 to May 2023. During the 2024 election campaign he was criticised by an opponent for allegedly referring to himself as a 'local councillor', when his seat was not in Cornwall.[19] Moon said at the time that the allegations were not correct: "The comments were made following a story published earlier this week about [his] political rival Connor Donnithorne failing to state he is a Conservative on a recent election leaflet that was delivered to homes in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle."[20]
Moon grew up in Redruth and Penzance, and has lived in Oxfordshire from where his ex-wife came and where he raised his three children, before returning to Cornwall in 2022.[5] His dad, Dr Charles Moon, lives in Porthtowan and his mum lives in Nancledra. He coached and refereed rugby union and was a former cricket player for Penzance.[22] He is known to be a keen sea swimmer and supporter of Redruth rugby club.[23]
