Jess Phillips (politician)

Jess Phillips
MP
Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Yardley
Assumed office
7 May 2015
Preceded by John Hemming
Majority 6,595 (16.0%)
Personal details
Born Jessica Rose Phillips[1]
1981 (age 34–35)[2]
Political party Labour
Alma mater University of Leeds
University of Birmingham
Website Official website

Jessica Rose "Jess" Phillips (born 1981) is a British Labour Party politician who became the Member of Parliament (MP) for the constituency of Birmingham Yardley in 2015 general election.

Early life and career

Phillips studied Economic and Social History/Social Policy at the University of Leeds between 2000 and 2003. Between 2011 and 2013, she studied a postgraduate diploma in Public Sector Management at the University of Birmingham.[3][4]

Prior to her election as an MP, Phillips worked as a business development manager at a domestic and sexual abuse charity[5][6][7] and before then at an events company within the health sector.[3] Phillips was also a barmaid and claims to have been groped innumerable times during her time in that position.[8]

Political career

Local councillor

In the 2012 local elections, she was elected as a Labour councillor for Longbridge ward, taking the seat from the Conservatives.[9] She was then appointed as the victims champion for Birmingham City Council, lobbying police and criminal justice organisations on behalf of victims.[6][7][10][11] She also served on the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel.[3]

Member of Parliament

Phillips was selected to contest Birmingham Yardley in June 2013, a constituency at the time represented by John Hemming of the Liberal Democrats who in 2010 held the seat with a 3,002 majority.[12] For the 2015 general election, Labour required a swing of 3.7% to take the seat,[13] and after a swing of 11.7% Phillips achieved a majority of 6,595 or 16% of votes cast.[14][15]

She made her maiden speech on 28 May 2015, highlighting the issue of homelessness.[16] In the 2015 Labour leadership election, Phillips nominated Yvette Cooper for leader and Tom Watson for deputy leader.[17][18]

Her media profile was raised first by The Huffington Post, in an interview with Owen Bennett published in July 2015. In response to a question about her childhood ambition she said that her aim had been to become Prime Minister.[19] In September, The Huffington Post published Phillips account of a row with fellow MP Diane Abbott about the gender composition of Corbyn's first shadow cabinet: "Talking to The Huffington Post UK, Ms Phillips, who despite being elected in May has already earned a reputation for being one of the most outspoken MPs, said: 'I roundly told her to fuck off.' When asked what Ms Abbott did after that suggestion, Ms Phillips replied: 'She fucked off.'"[20]

In September 2015, Phillips was appointed by new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Lucy Powell, the Shadow Education Secretary.[21]

In October 2015, Phillips claimed to be subjected to rape threats on social media after she opposed and laughed at proposals by the Conservative MP Philip Davies to hold a debate in Parliament on issues affecting men in observance of International Men's Day, although these threats were posted in a public forum, and not addressed directly to Phillips.[22][23] Phillips advocates a third option of "X" as a gender in documents, for people who identify as neither male nor female.[24]

In January 2016, Phillips said on Question Time that events akin to the mass sexual assaults in Cologne happened every week on Birmingham's Broad Street. Her remarks provoked widespread criticism and calls to resign,[25][26][27] and local police denied her claims.[28]

References

  1. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 61230. p. 9119. 18 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "Jess Phillips on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 12 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Carr, Tim; Dale, Iain (16 June 2015). The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2015: Profiles of the New MPs and Analysis of the 2015 General Election Results. London: Biteback Publishing. ISBN 1849549249.
  4. ↑ https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/jessica-phillips/34/237/a42
  5. ↑ "Sandwell Womens Aid". sandwellwomensaid.co.uk.
  6. 1 2 Neil Elkes (24 June 2013). "Domestic violence campaigner Jess Phillips to take on 'love rat' John Hemming at next election – Birmingham Mail". birminghammail.
  7. 1 2 Neil Elkes (10 May 2015). "New Yardley MP Jess Phillips will not be told to 'calm down dear' by Prime Minister". birminghammail.
  8. ↑ Walker, Jonathan (29 January 2016). "MP Jess Phillips defends claim that Cologne sex attacks are like a night out in Birmingham". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  9. ↑ birminghammail Administrator (3 May 2012). "Birmingham city council elections 2012: Full ward-by-ward results". birminghammail.
  10. ↑ Jasbir Authi (21 June 2012). "Longbridge councillor Jess Phillips be victims' champion for Birmingham". birminghammail.
  11. ↑ "Jess Phillips". labour.org.uk.
  12. ↑ "BBC News – Election 2010 – Constituency – Birmingham Yardley". bbc.co.uk.
  13. ↑ "BBC News – Election 2015: The political battleground". BBC News.
  14. ↑ "Birmingham Yardley Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  15. ↑ "Birmingham, Yardley". Telegraph.co.uk.
  16. ↑ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 28 May 2015 (pt 0003)". parliament.uk.
  17. ↑ Neil Elkes (14 May 2015). "New Yardley MP backs Yvette Cooper for Labour leadership". birminghammail.
  18. ↑ "Who nominated who in the 2015 Labour deputy leadership election?". newstatesman.com.
  19. ↑ Bennett, Owen (2015-07-14). "Jess Phillips Interview: Tony Benn, White Male Privilege and Return of the Jedi". Huffington Post. AOL. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  20. ↑ Bennett, Owen. "Labour MP Jess Phillips: I Told Diane Abbott To F*ck Off During Feminism Row". Huffington Post. AOL. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  21. ↑ "Jeremy Corbyn Appoints Steve Rotheram As His Parliamentary Aide". The Huffington Post UK.
  22. ↑ Perraudin, Frances (30 October 2015). "MPs rally in support of colleague subjected to rape threats". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  23. ↑ "Labour MP Jess Phillips targeted by trolls after scoffing at men's rights debate request". ITV News.
  24. ↑ "Put an 'X' in passports for people who aren't male or female, says MP". Birmingham Mail. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  25. ↑ "Labour MP faces calls to resign after comparing Cologne attacks to Birmingham night out". Telegraph.co.uk. 30 January 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  26. ↑ Perraudin, Frances. "Labour MP Jess Phillips defends remarks about Cologne sex attacks". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  27. ↑ Smith, Joan (30 January 2016). "I’m a fan, Jess Phillips, but please admit you’re wrong on Cologne sex attacks and violence against women". The Independent. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  28. ↑ Perraudin, Frances (29 January 2016). "Labour MP Jess Phillips defends remarks about Cologne sex attacks". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 January 2016.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
John Hemming		 Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Yardley
2015–present 		Incumbent
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