Gerald Jones

Born and raised in his constituency, Gerald Jones was first elected as the Labour MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney in 2015. He first joined the Labour Party in 1988, aged just 18, citing the infamous miners’ strike as his principal reason. Before his election to parliament, Jones worked in the third sector supporting voluntary organisations, community groups and charities by providing access to advice and assistance with funding applications. Currently shadow minister for Wales, he previously held the position under Jeremy Corbyn, for whom he also enjoyed a three-year spell as shadow minister for defence following the 2017 general election. Jones acts as secretary for the all-party parliamentary group on gambling related harm and as treasurer for the groups on online and home electrical safety and the packaging manufacturing industry. Following the death of a young girl in his constituency, he recently tabled an amendment to the Road Traffic Act 1988 in order to ensure that driving offences can still be prosecuted if they occur on private land.