In the 2005 General Election, Stuart stood for Lancaster & Wyre and increased the Liberal Democrat vote significantly. Now in the new constituency of Lancaster & Fleetwood Stuart is aiming for Westminster again at the next General Election.

Stuart has been a member of the Lancaster City Council since 2003, when he was elected as Councillor for the University Ward. In 2005 he succesfully won his re-election campaign and now represents his home ward, Lower Lune Valley.

Stuart has lived in Lancaster since studying at the University in the early nineties, he has since worked as a teacher in the area and is currently the Head of Religious Studies at Morecambe High School. A resident of Brookhouse, Stuart has been actively involved in the local community as a parish councillor and more recently he took a lead role in the foundation of Caton Community Library. He is married to Louise and they have a son, Harry