Jo Gideon

Jo Gideon is one of many Conservative MPs in the 2019 intake who represent former Labour strongholds. Her Stoke-on-Trent Central seat had returned a Labour MP since its creation in 1950, before Gideon took the seat from Gareth Snell on a 6.9 per cent swing. Gideon’s early career saw her run a small paper import business and she later moved into local politics, serving as a district councillor in South Thanet for 12 years and later on Ashford Borough Council. Her victory in 2019 came after two previous attempts at becoming an MP, standing in Scunthorpe in 2015 and Great Grimsby in 2017. She also spent time working for former cabinet minister Damian Green. Gideon has said her legislative priorities include the future relationship with Europe, environmental agreements and housing. In 2020, she was appointed chairman of the APPG on the national food strategy, aiming to provide comprehensive and long-term support to pupils in need. In 2020, Gideon was removed from her status as trustee of the charity Feeding Children after she backed the government’s original stance to not extend free school meals for pupils in need during holidays. The same year, Gideon became PPS to the secretary of state, Alok Sharma, at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. She has advocated for more women in politics, support for local economies and children’s welfare. Gideon is the mother of actor Ingrid Oliver.

Hot Seat

Are there any ways you would like to see Parliament reformed?

I support the constituency boundary review to even out constituency sizes.

What was the catalyst for you deciding to enter politics?

I ran my ex husband’s parliamentary campaign in 2001 and I was encouraged to stand.

Which historical figures do you take inspiration from?

Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel