Helen Hayes
Official portrait, 2019
Shadow Minister for Children and Early Years
Assumed office
4 December 2021
LeaderKeir Starmer
Preceded byTulip Siddiq
Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office
In office
9 April 2020 – 30 December 2020
LeaderKeir Starmer
Preceded byChris Matheson
Succeeded byFleur Anderson
Opposition Whip
In office
7 January 2020 – 9 April 2020
LeaderJeremy Corbyn
Member of Parliament
for Dulwich and West Norwood
Assumed office
7 May 2015
Preceded byDame Tessa Jowell
Majority27,840 (49.1%)
Personal details
Born
Helen Elizabeth Hayes

(1974-08-08) 8 August 1974 (age 49)
Liverpool, Merseyside, England
Political partyLabour
Alma materBalliol College, Oxford
Websitewww.helenhayes.org.uk

Helen Elizabeth Hayes (born 8 August 1974)[1] is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dulwich and West Norwood since the May 2015 general election.[2]

Early life and career

Helen Hayes was born in Liverpool on 8 August 1974 and attended Ormskirk Grammar School.[3] She was an undergraduate at Balliol College, Oxford.[4]

After university, Hayes worked as a town planner. She became managing partner of her own town planning company, Urban Practitioners, before becoming a partner at London architectural practice Allies and Morrison.[5]

Hayes is a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, a member of the King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and is also a trustee of Turner Contemporary art gallery in Margate.[5]

Political career

Before being elected as an MP, Hayes was elected as a Councillor for the College ward of Southwark Council[6] in 2010 and in 2014.[7][8] Following her election as an MP in 2015 she held both roles for 10 months before resigning as a Councillor in March 2016 to focus on her Parliamentary duties.[9]

Hayes was elected to Parliament at the 2015 general election as MP for Dulwich and West Norwood with 54.1% of the vote and a majority of 16,122.[10][11][12]

Hayes has served on the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee since July 2015.[13]

She supported Remain in the EU referendum in June 2016 and voted against the triggering of Article 50 in February 2017.[14]

At the snap 2017 general election, Hayes was re-elected as MP for Dulwich and West Norwood with an increased vote share of 69.6% and an increased majority of 28,156.[15][16]

In 2018, Hayes criticised the closure of two Royal Mail delivery offices in her constituency.[17]

Hayes was again re-elected at the 2019 general election, with a decreased vote share of 65.5% and a decreased majority of 27,310.[18]

In the November 2021 British shadow cabinet reshuffle, she returned to the frontbench as Shadow Minister for Children and Early Years, replacing Tulip Siddiq.[19]

Personal life

Hayes is married to Ben Jupp; the couple have two children.[3] Her sister-in law is Rachel Jupp, editor of the BBC current affairs series, Panorama.[20]

References

  1. ^ Jamieson, Sophie (29 April 2015). "Female MPs: Parliament's future front bench stars". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
  2. ^ "BBC News Election 2015 – Dulwich & West Norwood". BBC News Election 2015 website. BBC. 8 May 2015. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  3. ^ a b Duffy, Tom (12 May 2015). "Ormskirk mum wins Tessa Jowell's former seat in south London". Southport Visiter. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Election 2015: Meet the future female front bench stars of the 2015 Parliament". The Daily Telegraph. 8 May 2015. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Register of interests Councillor Helen Hayes". Southwark Council. 30 July 2013. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  6. ^ "Councillor Helen Hayes". Southwark Council. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  7. ^ "Southwark Council – Election Results for College Ward". Southwark Council Website. Southwark Council. 6 May 2010. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  8. ^ "2014 council elections – College". Southwark Council Website. Southwark Council. 22 May 2014. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  9. ^ "SOUTHWARK MPS NEIL COYLE AND HELEN HAYES ANNOUNCE RESIGNATION FROM COUNCIL". Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Election results for Dulwich and West Norwood, 7 May 2015". moderngov.lambeth.gov.uk. 7 May 2015.
  12. ^ "Dulwich & West Norwood parliamentary constituency - Election 2017" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  13. ^ "Helen Hayes MP". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  14. ^ "How Labour MPs voted on article 50". LabourList. 1 February 2017. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  15. ^ "Dulwich & West Norwood parliamentary constituency". BBC News.
  16. ^ "Commons Briefing Paper 7979. General Election 2017: results and analysis" (PDF) (Second ed.). House of Commons Library. 29 January 2019 [7 April 2018]. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 November 2019.
  17. ^ Hayes, Helen (23 February 2018). "Helen delivers letter to Royal Mail opposing delivery office closures". Helen Hayes MP. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 4 May 2019.
  18. ^ "Statement of Persons Nominated" (PDF). Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Tweet announcing new role". Twitter. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  20. ^ Saner, Emine (5 February 2017). "Panorama editor Rachel Jupp: people want us to hold power to account". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Dulwich and West Norwood

2015–present
Incumbent