# Jenny Willott

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British Liberal Democrat politician

The Right Honourable Jenny Willott OBE Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs In office 18 December 2013 – 30 June 2014 Prime Minister David Cameron Preceded by Jo Swinson Succeeded by Jo Swinson Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change In office 12 May 2010 – 9 December 2010 Prime Minister David Cameron Succeeded by Duncan Hames Member of Parliament for Cardiff Central In office 5 May 2005 – 30 March 2015 Preceded by Jon Owen Jones Succeeded by Jo Stevens Personal details Born (1974-05-29) 29 May 1974 (age 52) Wimbledon, London, England Party Welsh Liberal Democrats Spouse Andrew Poole Children 2 sons Alma mater Durham University London School of Economics Website www.jennywillott.com[dead link]

**Jennifer Nancy Willott** [OBE](/source/OBE) (born 29 May 1974)[1] is a British politician. She was the [Liberal Democrat](/source/Liberal_Democrats_(UK)) Member of Parliament for [Cardiff Central](/source/Cardiff_Central_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) from [2005](/source/2005_United_Kingdom_general_election) to [2015](/source/2015_United_Kingdom_general_election).[2] Willott became a junior minister in the [Department for Business, Innovation and Skills](/source/Department_for_Business%2C_Innovation_and_Skills) and [Government Equalities Office](/source/Government_Equalities_Office) in December 2013, temporarily standing in for [Jo Swinson](/source/Jo_Swinson) while Swinson was on [maternity leave](/source/Maternity_leave). She was the first woman and first Liberal Democrat to represent her seat. Willott was a councillor in the [London Borough of Merton](/source/London_Borough_of_Merton) from 1998 to 2000.

## Education

Willott was born in [Wimbledon](/source/Wimbledon%2C_London), London. She was educated at [Uppingham School](/source/Uppingham_School), studied [Classics](/source/Classics) at [St Mary's College](/source/St_Mary's_College%2C_Durham), [Durham University](/source/Durham_University), and attended the [London School of Economics](/source/London_School_of_Economics), obtaining an MSc in [Development Studies](/source/Development_Studies).

## Political career

After university, Willott was chief researcher for [Lembit Opik](/source/Lembit_Opik), Liberal Democrat MP for [Montgomeryshire](/source/Montgomeryshire_(UK_Parliament_constituency)).

Willott's [2005 campaign](/source/2005_United_Kingdom_general_election) was closely linked to specific local and national issues and her support was widespread across all wards.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In her [maiden speech](/source/Maiden_speech), Willott pledged to "make Cardiff proud" and celebrated the [cultural diversity](/source/Cultural_diversity) of her constituency. She declared her priorities in parliament would be [local health services](/source/National_Health_Service), [tuition](/source/Tuition_fees_in_the_United_Kingdom) and [top-up fees](/source/Top-up_fees), and [council tax](/source/Council_tax).[3] She supported [Sir Menzies Campbell](/source/Menzies_Campbell) in the [leadership election in 2006](/source/2006_Liberal_Democrats_leadership_election), and was later appointed Shadow Minister for Youth Affairs, Whip, and [Deputy Chief Whip](/source/Deputy_Chief_Whip).

In 2008 she was appointed as Shadow [Minister for Justice](/source/Ministry_of_Justice_(United_Kingdom)) and later Shadow [Secretary of State for Work and Pensions](/source/Secretary_of_State_for_Work_and_Pensions). In January 2009 she was appointed Shadow [Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster](/source/Chancellor_of_the_Duchy_of_Lancaster).[4]

In December 2010 she resigned her post as [parliamentary aide](/source/Parliamentary_Private_Secretary) to [Chris Huhne](/source/Chris_Huhne) shortly before a vote to increase tuition fees as recommended by the [Browne Review](/source/Browne_Review), to keep her pledge to constituents that she would vote against any increase in fees.[5]

In a [mini-reshuffle](/source/Reshuffle) of the [Coalition](/source/Cameron%E2%80%93Clegg_coalition) Government on 3 February 2012 caused by [Huhne's prosecution](/source/R_v_Huhne_and_Pryce) and subsequent resignation, Willott was appointed an [Assistant Whip](/source/Whip_(politics)).[6]

In May 2014 Willott complained about the hostile atmosphere of [Prime Minister's Questions](/source/Prime_Minister's_Questions) and the low number of female ministers. She called for [all-female shortlists](/source/All-female_shortlists) for MPs, something which was not Liberal Democrat party policy.[7] In 2014, she left the Government but was appointed to the [Privy Council](/source/Privy_Council) by [David Cameron](/source/David_Cameron).[8] In 2015, she lost her seat in the House of Commons to the [Labour Party](/source/Labour_Party_(UK))'s [Jo Stevens](/source/Jo_Stevens).

### Controversy

Willott was subject to criticism from rival political parties and the media in the wake of the [expenses scandal](/source/Expenses_scandal_(UK)), as it emerged she claimed more in expenses and administration costs than any other Welsh MP. Her expenses and office costs were £57,000 in a year, including claims for a new flat and costs of moving offices in central Cardiff.[9]

Willott also came under some pressure from political opponents over her support for the [bedroom tax](/source/Bedroom_tax). A protest outside her Cardiff office about the issue led to her not going in to her office on that day.[10]

## After Parliament

She is currently [Chief Executive Officer](https://www.reengage.org.uk/latest-news/jenny-willott-joins-re-engage-as-ceo-enews-290124/) for [Re-engage](https://www.reengage.org.uk/) - the charity for reducing loneliness in later life.

Willott worked as The Director of Enterprise and Innovation at [St Mary’s University, Twickenham](/source/St_Mary%E2%80%99s_University%2C_Twickenham).[11] She is also a member of [IPSAs](/source/Independent_Parliamentary_Standards_Authority) board.[12]

She was appointed an [Officer of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Officer_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) (OBE) in the [2018 Birthday Honours](/source/2018_Birthday_Honours), for political and public service.[13]

## Personal life

Willott is married to Andrew Poole and they have two children;[14] the birth of her second child in February 2013 notably necessitated her absence from a vote on the [Marriage (Same-Sex Couples) Bill](/source/Marriage_(Same-Sex_Couples)_Bill).[15]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [*Dod's Parliamentary Companion*](https://books.google.com/books?id=K7pDAQAAIAAJ). Dod's Parliamentary Companion Limited. 2010. p. 363. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-905702-89-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-905702-89-6).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath parliamentary constituency - Election 2017"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/S14000041). *BBC News*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Jenny Willott's maiden speech](https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2005-05-26.881.0&s=section%3Adebates+speaker%3A11480#g912.0) TheyWorkForYou.com, 26 May 2006

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [My Biography](http://www.jennywillott.com/pages/biog.html), *Jenny Willott MP*

1. **[^](#cite_ref-BBC_Resign_5-0)** ["Lib Dems quit government to oppose tuition fees rise"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11952449). BBC News. 9 December 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2010.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Press notice: New Ministerial Appointments"](http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/new-ministerial-appointments/). Number10.gov.uk. 3 February 2012.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Equalities minister decries male-led Westminster and 'hateful' PMQs"](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/may/08/equalities-minister-jenny-willott-male-westminster-pmqs-gender). 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Privy Council appointments: November 2014"](https://www.gov.uk/government/news/privy-council-appointments-november-2014). *gov.uk*. United Kingdom Cabinet Office. Retrieved 17 March 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Graham Henry (17 August 2013). ["Welsh MP expenses 2012/13 – Wales Online"](http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/welsh-mp-expenses-201213-5743505). *walesonline*. Retrieved 17 March 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Morning Star :: Shamed Cardiff MP flees bedroom tax protesters"](http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-7a0a-Shamed-Cardiff-MP-flees-bedroom-tax-protesters). *morningstaronline.co.uk*. 22 November 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["St Mary's Director of Enterprise and Innovation Awarded OBE"](https://www.stmarys.ac.uk/news/2018/06/jenny-willot-2018).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Board and Chief Executive"](http://www.theipsa.org.uk/about-us/board-and-chief-executive/).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["No. 62310"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/62310/supplement/B14). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 9 June 2018. p. B14.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-WW_14-0)** ["Who's Who"](http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U45668). *ukwhoswho.com*. Retrieved 17 March 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Lib Dem MP Martin Horwood: Why I wasn't present for the equal marriage vote"](http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/02/07/lib-dem-mp-martin-horwood-why-i-wasnt-present-for-the-equal-marriage-vote/). *PinkNews*. 7 February 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2015.

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Jenny Willott](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Jenny_Willott).

- [Jenny Willott MP](https://web.archive.org/web/20080509193212/http://www.jennywillott.com/)*official constituency website*

- [Profile](https://web.archive.org/web/20081009221132/http://www.libdems.org.uk/people/jenny-willott) at the Liberal Democrats

- [Profile](https://web.archive.org/web/20060424084500/http://www.welshlibdems.org.uk/people_e_detail.asp?memberNo=169) at the Welsh Liberal Democrats

- [Cardiff Liberal Democrats](http://www.cardiffld.org.uk/)

- [Profile](https://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/jenny-willott/1497) at [Parliament of the United Kingdom](/source/Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom)

- [Contributions in Parliament](https://hansard.parliament.uk/search/MemberContributions?memberId=1497) at *[Hansard](/source/Hansard)*

- [Voting record](https://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn=Jennifer_Willott) at [Public Whip](/source/Public_Whip)

- [Record in Parliament](https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/jennifer_willott) at [TheyWorkForYou](/source/TheyWorkForYou)

- [Profile](https://www.opensanctions.org/entities/Q262335) on OpenSanctions, an open database of sanctions and persons of interest

- [Meet the MP: Jenny Willott](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4436148.stm) *[BBC News](/source/BBC_News)*, 20 December 2005

Parliament of the United Kingdom Preceded by Jon Owen Jones Member of Parliament for Cardiff Central 2005–2015 Succeeded by Jo Stevens

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jenny Willott](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Willott) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Willott?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.