Jenny Chapman

Jenny Chapman
Member of Parliament
for Darlington
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 2010
Preceded by Alan Milburn
Majority 3,388 (7.9%)
Personal details
Born 25 September 1973
Surrey
Political party Labour
Alma mater Brunel University
Website www.jennychapman.co.uk

Jennifer Chapman[1] (born 25 September 1973[2]) is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Darlington since the 2010 general election.

Early life

Chapman was born in Surrey but moved to Darlington at a young age where she attended Hummersknott School and Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College,[2] before studying psychology at Brunel University, and later took an MA in archaeology at Durham University. She had work placements attached to prison psychology departments whilst studying for her undergraduate degree.[3] She is due to marry fellow Labour MP Nick Smith in July 2014.[4] She has two children from a previous relationship.

Politics

Chapman worked as constituency office manager for Darlington Labour MP Alan Milburn. After a career break for children, she returned to politics at Darlington Borough Council when she was elected as borough councillor for the Cockerton West ward in 2007.[5]

In November 2009, Chapman was selected as one of four candidates to succeed Milburn as Labour's parliamentary candidate for Darlington on an open shortlist.[5] She was selected to stand for parliament by the local constituency party the following month. Chapman said: "This shows that the people of Darlington want to choose a Darlington person who will put the town first."[6] She was elected Darlington MP in the 2010 general election with a majority of 3,388.[7] As a result of her election victory, she decided to stand down as a councillor.[8]

Chapman made her maiden speech in Parliament on 7 June 2010, during which she asked for social network services to be regulated to stop pedophiles. She also backed the Building Schools for the Future programme.[9] Chapman is also a Vice Chair of the Blairite organisation Progress

In 2011 Jenny Chapman was appointed to as Shadow Prisons Minister.[10] Chapman had previously authored policy recommendations on the subject of incarceration including a recommendation that prison officers should receive training to help them rehabilitate inmates[10]

References

  1. ↑ "List of members returned to serve in parliament at the general election 2010". 13 May 2010. Archived from the original on 2 August 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2010.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Jenny Chapman MP". Westminster parliamentary record. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  3. ↑ James, Erwin (25 February 2015). "The would-be minister with inside knowledge of the prisons beat". Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Chapman-Smith marriage". Hansard 9 Apr 2014 : Column 308. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Pyrah, Lauren (20 November 2009). "Labour shortlist confirmed". The Northern Echo. Archived from the original on 24 November 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  6. ↑ Westcott, Matt (6 December 2009). "Chapman chosen to succeed Alan Milburn in Darlington". The Northern Echo. Archived from the original on 9 December 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  7. ↑ "Darlington". BBC News. Archived from the original on 9 May 2010. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
  8. ↑ "Four contest Darlington Borough Council seat". The Northern Echo. 11 June 2010. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  9. ↑ Cook, Paul (8 June 2010). "New MP calls for tighter controls on sex offenders". The Northern Echo. Archived from the original on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Moss, Richard (10 Oct 2011). "North East MP Jenny Chapman handed shadow prison role". BBC News. Retrieved 20 March 2015.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Alan Milburn		 Member of Parliament for Darlington
2010–present 		Incumbent

http://www.progressonline.org.uk/about-progress/chair-patrons/