Kevan jones mp biography for kids

Two MPs have spoken out about their mental health problems in an effort to break the "taboo" around the issue.

Tory MP Charles Walker told MPs he was a "practising fruitcake" as he described how he had lived with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) for more than 30 years.

His Labour colleague Kevan Jones told of his battle with depression and the "difficult" decision to speak out.

The pair earned praise from charities for their "historic" speeches.

MPs were told by Lib Dem Health Minister Paul Burstow that mental health was a "taboo subject" - even though one in four people in the UK will suffer from mental health problems at some point in their lives.

Speaking about his own experiences with OCD, Mr Walker, MP for Broxbourne, said: "On occasions it is manageable and, on occasions, it becomes quite difficult. It takes you to some quite dark places.

"I operate by the rule of four. So I have to do everything in evens.

"I have to wash my hands four times. I have to go in and out of a room four times. My wife and children often say I resemble an extra from Riverdance as I bounce in and out of a room."

Kevan Jones was first elected as the Labour MP for Durham North in 2001, being reelected in 2019 with a majority of 4,742.

The North Durham constituency is a relatively compact seat found to the north of the County of Durham.  It is focussed around the towns of Chester-le-Street, Stanley, and Sacriston.  Some three fifths of the local electorate backed Brexit in the 2016 EU referendum.  In the 2019 General Election, the Labour vote in this part of the north east of England fell by a sizeable 15%, but it was not enough to unseat the party.   This area of Durham has been represented by Labour continuously since the Second World War.

Kevan Jones was Under Secretary of State for Veterans in the Brown government (2008-2010) and served as Shadow Minister for the Armed Forces between 2010 and 2016.

Born in Nottinghamshire in 1964, Kevan Jones is the son of a miner.  He went to a comprehensive school in Worksop and graduated in government and public policy at Newcastle Polytechnic.

Prior to being elected to Parliament himself, he had worked as as parliamentary assistant to Nick Brown MP.  He also worked for the GMB Union as a political officer, regional organiser and finally as a  senior national organiser. During his time at the GMB, Jones led the union’s campaign for compensation for the industrial victims of asbestos.

Jones was a councillor on Newcastle City Council between 1990 and 2001.  On the council he was a Cabinet member for development, Chief Whip and committee chairman on development and transport and public health.

In 2012 Mr Jones discussed his own mental-health challenges during a Commons debate, encouraging others to do the same. This was later followed by the development of an in-house counselling service for MPs and their staff.

Kevan Jones supported Sir Keir Starmer in the 2020 Labour leadership election.  Previously he supported supported Owen Smith in his 2016 challenge to Jeremy Corbyn for the Labour leadership.  He backed

British politician (born 1964)

Kevan David Jones, Baron Beamish, PC (born 25 April 1964), is a British Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for North Durham from 2001 to 2024. He has been a member of the House of Lords since 2024.

Early life and career

Kevan Jones was born on 25 April 1964 in Nottinghamshire and is the son of a coal miner. He attended Portland Comprehensive School in Worksop and Newcastle Polytechnic, before studying at the University of Southern Maine, gaining a BA (Hons) in Government and Public Policy.

Before becoming an MP, he was a Newcastle upon Tyne councillor from 1990 to 2001 and Chairman of the Development Committee as well as an elected officer of the GMB Union.

Parliamentary career

At the 2001 general election, Jones was elected to Parliament as MP for North Durham with 67.2% of the vote and a majority of 18,683.

After becoming an MP, Jones became a member of the influential Defence Select Committee, and also a member of the Labour Party's Parliamentary Committee. His Private member's bill, the Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004, successfully passed Parliament, and came into force in December 2004. The Act makes it illegal for large shops to open on Christmas Day.

Jones was re-elected as MP for North Durham at the 2005 general election with a decreased vote share of 64.1% and a decreased majority of 16,781.

Ministerial career

Jones was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in October 2008.

In August 2009 he was accused of briefing against the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, who had been an outspoken critic of the government's record on equipping troops. A series of Freedom of information requests had been made concerning Dannat's expenses, and blogger Guido Fawkes "