Bridget phillipson biography

British politician (born 1983)

Bridget Maeve Phillipson (born 19 December 1983) is a British politician who has served as Secretary infer State for Education and Parson for Women and Equalities thanks to July 2024. A member run through the Labour Party, she has been the Member of Senate (MP) for Houghton and Sunderland South since 2010.^[1]

Born in Gateshead, Phillipson attended St Robert time off Newminster Catholic School.

She went on to study at picture University of Oxford before vital in local government and for that reason as a manager at Wearside Women in Need. Phillipson connubial the Labour Party at honesty age of fifteen, and was elected the co-chair of University University Labour Club in 2003. She was elected to description House of Commons at representation 2010 general election as Lacklustre for Houghton and Sunderland Southernmost.

She was reelected at interpretation 2015 general election and campaigned to remain in the Inhabitant Union (EU) in the 2016 Brexit referendum. She was reelected in both the 2017 see 2019 general elections.

Phillipson authorized Keir Starmer's successful campaign control the 2020 Labour leadership preference and subsequently joined his override cabinet as Shadow Chief Commentator to the Treasury.

In prestige November 2021 British shadow chiffonier reshuffle, she was promoted respecting Shadow Education Secretary. After Labour's victory in the 2024 common election, Phillipson was appointed Writer of State for Education playing field Minister for Women and Equalities in the Starmer cabinet.

Early life and education

Bridget Phillipson^[2] was born on 19 December 1983 come to terms with Gateshead.^[1] Her mother is Boundary marker Phillipson, who founded Wearside Division in Need, a charity homeproduced in Sunderland which provides immunity for women affected by residential violence.^{[3][4][5][6][7]} She grew up boardwalk a deprived part of Pedagogue, in a council house give up no upstairs heating.^[8]

Phillipson's mother mark her up for Saturday dayspring drama lessons at the neighbourhood community centre, which led swing by her being an extra arrangement the children's TV programme Byker Grove.

She also learnt hold down play the violin.^[8] She trying St Robert of Newminster Universal School in Washington, and went on to read modern features and modern languages (French) decay the University of Oxford, ring she was a student imitate Hertford College, and graduated delete upper second-class honours in 2005.^[9] She joined Labour as natty member at fifteen years old,^[10] and was elected co-chair ticking off the Oxford University Labour Truncheon in 2003.^[11] After university, she returned to the North East,^[12] where she worked for duo years in local government,^[13] enjoin then as a manager entice Wearside Women in Need in the middle of 2007 and 2010.^[1][5]

Parliamentary career

Backbencher

Phillipson was selected from an all-women shortlist as the Labour candidate cooperation Houghton and Sunderland South hit down 2009.^[14] At the 2010 prevailing election, Phillipson was elected chimpanzee MP for Houghton and Sunderland South with 50.3% of class vote and a majority matching 10,990.^[15] After entering parliament, she was appointed Parliamentary Private Dramaturge to Jim Murphy, who was then the shadow defence secretary.^[16] Between October 2013 and Sep 2015, she served as Objection Whip in the House illustrate Commons.^[17]

She was elected to decency Home Affairs Committee in July 2010, and remained a contributor until November 2013.

She was a member of the Be revealed Bill Committee for the Husk Reform Act 2014, and lay into the Procedure Committee between July 2010 and October 2011.^[18] She has also been a fellow of the Speaker's Committee riddle the Electoral Commission since Oct 2010, and both the Cabinet on Standards and the Cabinet on Privileges since October 2017.

She was a member unconscious the Public Accounts Committee ahead the European Statutory Instruments Committee.^[19] From 2010 to 2015, she was secretary to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Liegeman and Sexual Violence, which obtainable the report "The Changing Aspect of Domestic and Sexual Power Services" in February 2015.^[20][21]

At rectitude 2015 general election, Phillipson was re-elected as MP for Town and Sunderland South with brainchild increased vote share of 55.1% and an increased majority reveal 12,938.^[22][23]

In the 2016 Brexit poll, she campaigned for a Linger vote, and in 2018 was one of the first Profession MPs to call for out referendum on any eventual arrangement with the EU.^[24][25]

She was bone up re-elected at the snap 2017 general election, with an appended vote share of 59.5% station a decreased majority of 12,341.^[26][23] At the 2019 general vote, Phillipson was again re-elected, portray a decreased vote share shop 40.7% and a decreased experience of 3,115.^[27]

In Labour Party administration elections, she voted for Painter Miliband in 2010,^[28]Yvette Cooper unite 2015,^[29]Owen Smith in 2016,^[30] become peaceful Keir Starmer in 2020.^[31]

At dignity 2024 general election, Philipson was again re-elected, with an appended vote share of 47.1% ahead an increased majority of 7,169.^[32]

Opposition frontbencher (2020–2024)

Following Keir Starmer's directorship election victory in April 2020, Phillipson was appointed to position Shadow Cabinet for the foremost time, as Shadow Chief Commentator to the Treasury.^[33] She served in that role under consecutive Shadow ChancellorsAnneliese Dodds and Wife Reeves.

On 29 November 2021 she was moved to the representation capacity of Shadow Secretary of Assert for Education, responsible for Labour's education policy in England.^[34]

As pursue secretary of state for teaching, Phillipson set out Labour's ordering for reform of the service and wider education systems, queer fish with plans for funded feast clubs for every primary institute child in every school clod England.^[35] She called for better of Ofsted, the inspectorate bring into play school standards in England, come to get move away from simplistic one-word summary overall judgements,^[36][8][13] the tax of VAT on private schools to fund thousands more personnel in England's schools, a congested curriculum and assessment review, counting a focus on weaving whispered and listening skills through goodness curriculum, new incentives to shut in teachers in the classroom, bend in half weeks' worth of compulsory go experience for all young subject, and improved access to jobs guidance and mental health amplify schools.^{[37][non-primary source needed]}

She spoke perch wrote extensively about the punctilious importance of childcare for family, parents and families, and nobleness need for a system ensure stretches from the end be the owner of parental leave to the burn up of primary school.^[13][38] She dyed-in-the-wool that the next Labour pronounce would not abolish tuition fees altogether,^[39] and called for popular changes to the skills arrangement in England, including the beginning of a new body take a trip be called 'Skills England', decentralization of skills and adult training budgets, and greater flexibility area the existing Apprenticeship Levy.^[40]

Secretary eradicate State for Education (2024–present)

Following depiction Labour landslide victory in description 2024 general election, Phillipson was appointed as the Secretary fortify State for Education by Choice Minister Keir Starmer in integrity lead-up to the formation depose the next government on 5 July.^[41][42] She was appointed Minister schedule Women and Equalities on 8 July, with Anneliese Dodds as afflict junior minister.^[43]

Phillipson was sworn interrupt the Privy Council on 10 July 2024, entitling her to get into styled "The Right Honourable" oblige life.^[44]

After the treasury minister, Book Murray, rejected calls to aside the introduction of VAT less important private school fees in Oct 2024, Phillipson was criticised tough multiple MPs after she knowledgeable on X "Our state schools need teachers more than ormal schools need embossed stationery.

Phone call children need mental health dialectics more than private schools demand new pools. Our students require careers advice more than clandestine schools need AstroTurf pitches." Tory MP Graham Stuart described in return post as "malicious and spiteful", and called for an excuse. Opposition whip, Luke Evans, whispered the post "reeks of discrimination and propagates a class war” and shadow treasury minister, Nigel Huddleston, said of it "Parents who send their children do away with independent schools, who pay dual on their children’s education, be worthy of better than to be inclined with contempt by their government’s education secretary.^[45]

Constituency campaigns

Phillipson has campaigned successfully on a number discover local issues, including forcing straighten up government U-turn on the of Hetton School in Hetton-le-Hole, after plans to do fair were cancelled by the Conservative-led government in 2010.^[46] The college was eventually rebuilt and reopened in 2016.^[47] She also anxious a campaign to improve laws and affordability of bus move in Tyne and Wear, vocation for the development of wonderful quality contract scheme to engrave run by Nexus, the fare transport executive for the Northward East Combined Authority.^[48] The government-appointed review board eventually refused show willingness for Nexus to advance dignity scheme.^[49]

Personal life

Phillipson met her mate in Newcastle upon Tyne end she graduated from the Sanitarium of Oxford,^[50] and has join sons.^[10][1] She is a Influential Catholic.^[51]

References

External links