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Darren Jones (politician)

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The Right Honourable
Darren Jones
MP
Official portrait, 2024
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Assumed office
5 July 2024
Prime MinisterKeir Starmer
Preceded byLaura Trott
Chair of theBusiness and Trade Select Committee[a]
In office
6 May 2020 – 4 September 2023
Preceded byRachel Reeves
Succeeded byLiam Byrne
Member of Parliament
forBristol North West
Assumed office
8 June 2017
Preceded byCharlotte Leslie
Majority15,669 (32.3%)
Personal details
Born
Darren Paul Jones

(1986-11-13)13 November 1986(age 37)
Bristol,England
Political partyLabour
SpouseLucy Symons-Jones
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Plymouth
University of the West
of England
University of Law
Signature
WebsiteOfficial website
Darren Jones's voice
Jones on howartificial intelligencecan promote economic growth
Recorded 7 July 2023

Darren Paul Jones(born 13 November 1986)[1]is a BritishLabour Partypolitician who has served asChief Secretary to the Treasurysince July 2024,[2]having served as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury from September 2023 to July 2024.[3]TheMember of Parliament(MP) forBristol North Westsince2017,he previously chaired theHouse of CommonsBusiness and Trade Select Committeefrom 2020 to 2023.

Early life and education[edit]

Darren Jones was born on 13 November 1986 inBristol,and grew up inLawrence Weston.He attended Portway Community School inShirehampton,a state comprehensive, before studying human bioscience at theUniversity of Plymouth,where he was subsequently elected President of theStudents' Union.Jones worked in theNational Health Serviceand served on the boards of theUniversity of Plymouthand thePlymouth NHS Trust,and had a weekly newspaper column in thePlymouth Herald.He later read law at theUniversity of the West of Englandand theUniversity of Lawin Bristol before being admitted as asolicitor.[1][4]

Career[edit]

Legal career[edit]

A specialist intechnology law,Jones initially worked atWomble Bond Dickinson LLP,before becoming an in-house counsel withBT,advising on data privacy, cyber-security, telecommunications and consumer law.[5]In Bristol, he started a mentoring programme seeking to bring young people from his old school into the legal profession. Following the Brexit referendum in 2016, he sat on the board of UK Legal Futures, which brought together leading lawyers to advise politicians and civil servants on legal questions raised byBrexit.[6]

Political career[edit]

Jones stood as theLabourcandidate inTorridge and West Devonat the2010 general election,coming fourth with 5.3% of the vote behind the incumbent Conservative MPGeoffrey Cox,theLiberal Democratcandidate, and theUKIPcandidate.[7][8][9]Jones later sat on the national youth committees of theCo-operative PartyandUnite the Unionand was elected to Unite's Regional Political Committee in the South West.[10]

At the2015 general election,Jones stood inBristol North West,coming second with 34.4% of the vote behind the incumbent Conservative MPCharlotte Leslie.[11]Following the 2015 election, Jones joined the campaign ofLabour leadershiphopefulAndy Burnhamas its South West Co-ordinator, and chairedMarvin Rees' successful campaign to becomeMayor of Bristol.

In 2016 he joined theRemain campaignin theEU membership referendumand chaired the Young Lawyers' Network, a nationwide group campaigning for a vote to remain in theEuropean Unionin the2016 referendum.[12]Later in 2016, he went to the United States to work for theClinton campaigninMiamiduring that year'sUS Presidential election.[13]

Jones is also the chair of Labour Digital, a Labour think tank.[14]

Parliamentary career[edit]

2017 – 2019 Parliament[edit]

At the2017 general election,Jones was elected the Member of Parliament forBristol North West,overturning a Conservative majority of 4,944 on a 9.2 percent swing.[15]In hismaiden speech,Jones noted that he was the first Darren ever elected to Parliament.[16]Between 2017 and 2020, Jones was a member of the cross-partyScience and Technology Committeeand theEuropean Scrutiny Committee.In 2019, thenDeputy Leader of the Labour Party,Tom Watson,appointed Jones as the Convenor of theFuture Britain Group,which was established following a number of defections from theLabour Partyin a bid to prevent further defections.[17]

2019 – 2024 Parliament[edit]

Jones was re-elected at the2019 general election,with an increased majority of 5,692 but a decreased vote share of 48.9%.[18]

FollowingKeir Starmer'selection as Labour leaderin April 2020, Jones was appointedParliamentary Private Secretaryjointly toShadow Justice SecretaryDavid LammyandShadow Attorney GeneralCharlie Falconer,[19]and served until his election as Chair of theHouse of CommonsBusiness, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee.Jones sits on theNational Security Strategy Joint Committeeand, following the introduction of theNational Security and Investment Act 2021,became responsible as Chair of theBusiness, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committeefor holding the Government to account for its use of national security powers.[20]He has also served on theLiaison Committee,the committee that scrutinises the Prime Minister. As a member of that committee, Jones had frequent notable exchanges with then-Prime MinisterBoris Johnson,[21][22][23]including during the final days prior to Johnson announcing his resignation in July 2022 when Jones informed him that his cabinet was waiting for him inNo 10 Downing Streetto tell him to resign.[24]

He has been involved in issues including the withholding of redundancy payments fromAstra Zenecaworkers,[25]the campaign to increase miners' pensions through the Mineworkers Pension Scheme,[26]and theBritish Post Office scandal,[27]the right for workers to join a trade union atAmazon[28]and the dispute related to changes atRoyal Mail.[29][30]In 2020, he introduced the UK's firstcitizens assemblyonnet zeroto Parliament,.[31]He has also led Parliamentary inquiries into the decarbonisation of heating,[32]electricity[33][34]and industry,[35]as well as reform of the energy market in the United Kingdom.[36]

In 2021, Jones passed the Forensic Science Regulator Act 2021, having been successful in the ballot for aPrivate Members Bill,giving theforensic science regulatorstatutory powers to ensure service quality standards from the privatised forensic science companies working with thepolice.[37][38]

In 2019 he co-chaired a Parliamentary inquiry into technology ethics.[39]He leads the Parliamentary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum[40]and the Data Poverty[41]and Technology and National SecurityAll Party Parliamentary Groups.[42]In January 2021, during theCovidpandemic, he introduced aTen Minute Rule Billseeking to forceinternet service providersto offer a social tariff to families in receipt ofUniversal Credit.[43]Jones is the founder and chair of the Interparliamentary Forum on Emerging Technologies, a global network of legislators interested in emerging technology regulation, and in 2021 was appointed to theOnline Safety Billpre-legislative scrutinycommittee.[44][45]

In 2022, Jones was appointed as a member of the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly[46]which was established under the terms of the 2021Trade and Co-operation Agreementbetween the UK and the EU and acts as a forum for parliamentarians to exchange views on the implementation and operation of the Agreement. In the2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle,he joined the shadow cabinet asShadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.[47]

Jones was re-selected as the Labour candidate for Bristol North West in May 2024.[48]

Political positions[edit]

Politico Europehas described Jones as being on theLabour right,[49]and he has describedTony Blairas one of his political heroes.[50]

He has been noted as a prominent voice in debates on technology policy in Parliament,[51]and has described himself as atechno-optimist.[52]He supported Remain in the2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum.[12]He has supported electoral reform to a proportional system.[53]He has opposed ending UK arms sales to Israel during theIsrael–Hamas war,saying that it would not end the war.[54]

Personal life[edit]

Jones is married to net zero consultant and technology entrepreneur Lucy Symons-Jones, who co-founded the renewable energy company Village Infrastructure. They have three daughters.[1]Jones became a vegan in 2014, for reasons related to carbon emissions and agriculture, although he is sometimes vegetarian.[55]

Jones was sworn into thePrivy Councilon 10 July 2024, entitling him to be styled "The Right Honourable"for life.[56]

References[edit]

  1. ^abc"Jones, Darren Paul".Who's Who.Vol. 2018 (February 2018 online ed.). A & C Black.Retrieved13 February2018.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)
  2. ^"Who's in Keir Starmer's new cabinet?".BBC News.5 July 2024.Retrieved6 July2024.
  3. ^"Labour reshuffle live: Angela Rayner gets new role as Keir Starmer reshuffles team".BBC News. 4 September 2023.Retrieved4 September2023.
  4. ^Ashcroft, Esme (9 June 2017)."Who is Darren Jones? All about the Labour candidate who won Bristol North West in the 2017 general election".Bristol Post.Retrieved26 August2018.
  5. ^"Our alumni: Darren Jones".The University of Law.Archivedfrom the original on 23 September 2020.Retrieved10 January2022.
  6. ^"In-House to in the House".Legal 500. Archived fromthe originalon 26 August 2018.Retrieved26 August2018.
  7. ^"Election Data 2010".Electoral Calculus.Archived fromthe originalon 26 July 2013.Retrieved17 October2015.
  8. ^"Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll: Torridge and West Devon"(PDF).West Devon Borough Council.20 April 2010.Retrieved25 April2010.
  9. ^"BBC NEWS – Election 2010 – Devon West & Torridge".BBC News.
  10. ^"PPC Profile: Darren Jones".Labour List. 24 November 2009.Retrieved26 August2018.
  11. ^"Election Data 2015".Electoral Calculus.Archived fromthe originalon 17 October 2015.Retrieved17 October2015.
  12. ^abLawyer2B (27 March 2016)."Young lawyers campaign to keep Britain in Europe".Medium.Retrieved26 August2018.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^Pipe, Ellie (21 December 2017)."A Day with Bristol North West MP Darren Jones".B24/7.Retrieved26 August2018.
  14. ^"Labour Digital".Retrieved24 March2022.
  15. ^"Election 2019: Bristol North West".BBC News.Retrieved26 August2018.
  16. ^"Bristol MP Darren Jones hails himself 'first Darren in Parliament'".BBC News. 26 June 2017.Retrieved1 October2019.
  17. ^Zeffman, Henry (12 March 2019)."Tom Watson's rebel group draws a third of Labour MPs".The Times.ISSN0140-0460.Retrieved10 January2022.
  18. ^Millett, Briana; Cameron, Amanda (13 December 2019)."Darren Jones' speech in full as he wins Bristol North West seat".BristolLive.Retrieved17 September2021.
  19. ^"New appointments this week in UK politics, the civil service and public affairs".Politics Home.20 April 2020.Retrieved17 September2021.
  20. ^"Letter from Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to Darren Jones MP".21 April 2021.Retrieved24 March2022.
  21. ^Coronavirus: Prime Minister Boris Johnson | Commons Liaison Committee,27 May 2020,retrieved19 January2023
  22. ^Neame, Katie (6 July 2022)."Labour MPs grill Johnson during appearance in front of liaison committee".LabourList.Retrieved19 January2023.
  23. ^'You're hurting the country': Darren Jones tells PM 'on a human level' he must resign,6 July 2022,retrieved19 January2023
  24. ^Steerpike (6 July 2022)."Boris Johnson's five worst moments at the Liaison Committee".The Spectator.Retrieved19 January2023.
  25. ^Ralph, Alex (15 July 2019)."Astrazeneca accused of betrayal over Bristol factory sale to Avara".The Times.ISSN0140-0460.Retrieved10 January2022.
  26. ^"Mineworkers' Pension Scheme: Rejection a 'slap in the face'".BBC News. 5 July 2021.Retrieved10 January2022.
  27. ^Flinders, Karl (19 May 2021)."'Nothing off the table' in statutory Post Office scandal inquiry ".Computer Weekly.Retrieved10 January2022.
  28. ^@PoliticsJOE_UK(15 November 2022).""Do you not see there's a problem?""(Tweet).Retrieved19 January2023– viaTwitter.
  29. ^"'Why were you given a bonus?'".MSN.Retrieved19 January2023.
  30. ^Pratley, Nils(17 January 2023)."Royal Mail Boss has a shocker as meeting with MPs doesn't go well".The Guardian.Retrieved19 January2023.
  31. ^"Climate Change Assembly UK: The Path To Net Zero".Hansard.26 November 2020.
  32. ^Phillips, Richard."Government's approach to low-carbon heat failing to engage public or slash emissions, MPs warn - edie".edie.net/.Retrieved19 January2023.
  33. ^Mavrokefalidis, Dimitris (23 November 2022)."Drax grilled by MPs over its emission levels".Energy Live News.Retrieved19 January2023.
  34. ^"BP declines to reveal how much 'loophole' saved it in windfall tax".the Guardian.22 November 2022.Retrieved19 January2023.
  35. ^"Liberty Steel: MPs call for investigation into 'red flags'".BBC News.4 November 2021.Retrieved19 January2023.
  36. ^"MPs call for government to update energy support package after price cap forecasts worsen".Sky News.Retrieved19 January2023.
  37. ^Forensic Science Regulator Act 2021.https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/2616Archived20 March 2021 at theWayback Machine
  38. ^Forensic Science Regulator Act 2021https:// legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2021/14/contents/enacted
  39. ^All-Party Parliamentary Group on Data Analytics (21 May 2019)."Trust, Transparency and Tech: Data and Technology Ethics Inquiry Report Launch".Policy Connect.Retrieved10 January2022.
  40. ^"About".PICTFOR.Retrieved10 January2022.
  41. ^"About".Data Poverty APPG.Retrieved10 January2022.
  42. ^"Community".APPG for Technology & National Security.Retrieved10 January2022.
  43. ^"Chair of UK Business Committee Pushes Social Tariff for Broadband UPDATE".ISPreview.27 January 2021 [19 January 2021].Retrieved24 March2022.
  44. ^"About".Institute of AI.
  45. ^Bates, Joshua (26 July 2021)."The Online Safety Bill: Who you need to know and why | DeHavilland".DeHavilland.Retrieved10 January2022.
  46. ^UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly - UK Parliament
  47. ^Frank-Keyes, Jessica (4 September 2023)."Darren Jones: Keir Starmer moves rising star to Labour's shadow treasury team".CityAM.Retrieved4 September2023.
  48. ^Booth, Martin."CAMPAIGNING BEGINS ACROSS BRISTOL AREA AS GENERAL ELECTION ANNOUNCED".Bristol 247.Retrieved27 May2024.
  49. ^Dickson, Annabelle (5 September 2023)."Tony Blair back in fashion as UK Labour gets election-ready".Politico Europe.Retrieved29 June2024.By contrast Pat McFadden, Liz Kendall and Peter Kyle — three high-profile MPs on the right who worked as government aides during the Blair era — were given big promotions. Darren Jones, who is on the same wing of the party, and Hilary Benn, a Cabinet minister under Blair, were also appointed to Starmer's top team.
  50. ^Ballinger, Alex (2 July 2017)."Bristol's newest MP just revealed his political hero, and it's controversial".Bristol Post.Retrieved15 March2019.
  51. ^Varghese, Sanjana (3 December 2020)."Change everything: 32 innovators who are building a better future".Wired UK.ISSN1357-0978.Retrieved10 January2022.
  52. ^Bristow, Tom (16 July 2023)."The battle for UK Labour's tech crown".Politico Europe.Retrieved29 June2024.
  53. ^Virin, Daniel (15 May 2023)."The student housing crisis and political perseverance of Boris Johnson: Epigram Interviews Darren Jones, MP".Epigram.Retrieved29 June2024.DJ: 'I would quite like to change the voting system and have a more proportional system', the Bristol North West, MP rounds off, expressing his hopes for positive change.
  54. ^Keate, Noah (3 April 2024)."UK urged to stop selling weapons to Israel after killing of aid workers".Politico Europe.Retrieved29 June2024.
  55. ^Fox, Killian; Tait-Hyland, Molly (22 April 2018)."The builders, the MP, and the chef: meet the new vegans".The Guardian(interview).Retrieved10 January2022.
  56. ^"List of Business – 10 July 2024"(PDF).Privy Council Office. 10 July 2024.Retrieved11 July2024.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^As Chair of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee from 2020 to 2023.

External links[edit]

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