Jo Stevens

A Labour member and activist for over 30 years, Swansea-born Jo Stevens is the MP for Cardiff Central, having first been elected in 2015. Stevens has a degree in Law from the University of Manchester and completed the Solicitors’ Professional Examination at Manchester Polytechnic. After finishing her education in law, Stevens went on to work as a solicitor and director at Thompsons Solicitors, a law firm dedicated to representing trade union members and others injured or mistreated at work. She is also a member of the trade unions GMB and Unison herself. She describes herself as an “internationalist” who is particularly interested in the fight for and protection of human rights in Colombia (she is closely involved in Justice for Colombia, an NGO which campaigns on behalf of Colombian trade unionists, human rights activists and political prisoners). Stevens was elected to parliament in 2015 when she defeated the incumbent Liberal Democrat MP Jenny Willott (whom Stevens accused of neglecting her constituency by taking a ministerial role in 2014). During her time in parliament, Stevens has served in many roles, including as shadow solicitor general and shadow secretary of state for Wales. She has also been an outspoken critic of Brexit and defied the Labour whip in March 2019 in order to vote in favour of a second referendum via an amendment tabled by the Independent Group. Stevens continues to chair the GMB Parliamentary Group. Stevens was appointed shadow secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport in April 2020.