Jessica Morden

Labour MP for Newport East, Jessica Morden, was elected in 2005, becoming the first woman to represent South East Wales in the House of Commons. Before her election, she served as general secretary of the Welsh Labour party; she began her parliamentary career as parliamentary private secretary to Peter Hain, the then-secretary of state for Wales, and was later parliamentary private secretary to Owen Smith during his term as shadow secretary of state for Wales (whose bid to oust Jeremy Corbyn in 2016 she supported). She is currently shadow vice whip of HM household and sits on a number of committees, including the Administration Committee, the Committee of Selection and the Liaison Committee, as well as chairing the Statutory Instruments Committee. Morden is a member of a long list of All-Party Parliamentary Groups, including steel and other metal-related industries, mindfulness, suicide prevention and beer. She also finds time to be part of the PCS and GMB trade union groups as well as a president of the Young People’s Trust for the Environment. She has consistently voted against cuts to benefits and in favour of socially liberal policies such as same-sex marriage.