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Helen Hayes (politician)
Helen Elizabeth Hayes (born 8 August 1974)[1] is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dulwich and West Norwood since 2015.[2] She was subsequently elected Chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee in September 2024.[3][4] Early life and careerHelen Hayes was born on 8 August 1974 in Liverpool and attended Ormskirk Grammar School.[5] She was an undergraduate at Balliol College, Oxford.[6] After university, Hayes worked as a town planner. She became managing partner of her own town planning company, Urban Practitioners, before becoming a partner at London architectural practice Allies and Morrison.[7] Hayes is a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, a member of the King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and is also a trustee of Turner Contemporary art gallery in Margate.[7] Before being elected as an MP, Hayes was elected as a Councillor for the college ward of Southwark Council[8] in 2010 and in 2014.[9][10] Following her election as an MP in 2015 she held both roles for 10 months before resigning as a Councillor in March 2016 to focus on her Parliamentary duties.[11] Parliamentary careerHayes was elected to Parliament at the 2015 general election as MP for Dulwich and West Norwood with 54.1% of the vote and a majority of 16,122.[12][13][14] Hayes has served on the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee since July 2015.[15] She supported Remain in the EU referendum in June 2016 and voted against the triggering of Article 50 in February 2017.[16] She was a critic of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace him in the 2016 leadership election.[17] At the snap 2017 general election, Hayes was re-elected as MP for Dulwich and West Norwood with an increased vote share of 69.6% and an increased majority of 28,156.[18][19] In 2018, Hayes criticised the closure of two Royal Mail delivery offices in her constituency.[20] Hayes was again re-elected at the 2019 general election, with a decreased vote share of 65.5% and a decreased majority of 27,310.[21] In the November 2021 British shadow cabinet reshuffle, she returned to the frontbench as Shadow Minister for Children and Early Years, replacing Tulip Siddiq.[22] At the 2024 general election, Hayes was again re-elected with a decreased vote share of 60.3% and a decreased majority of 18,789.[23] She was subsequently elected Chair of the House of Commons Education Select Committee in September 2024.[24][25] In November 2024, Hayes voted against the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which proposes to legalise assisted dying.[26] Personal lifeHayes is married to Ben Jupp; the couple have two children.[5] Her sister-in law is Rachel Jupp, editor of the BBC current affairs series, Panorama.[27] References
External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Helen Hayes (politician). |
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