Jonathan Ashworth

{{Short description|British politician}} {{Other people||John Ashworth (disambiguation){{!}}John Ashworth}} {{EngvarB|date=May 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Right Honourable | name = Jonathan Ashworth | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} | image = Official portrait of Jonathan Ashworth MP crop 2.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2020 | office1 = Member of Parliament<br>for Leicester South | term_start1 = 5 May 2011 | predecessor1 = Peter Soulsby | term_end1 = 30 May 2024 | majority1 = | successor1 = Shockat Adam {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office5 = Shadow Cabinet | subterm6 = 2023–2024 | suboffice6 = Paymaster General | subterm7 = 2021–2023 | suboffice7 = Work and Pensions | subterm8 = 2016–2021 | suboffice8 = Health and Social Care | office9 = Shadow Minister | subterm9 = 2015–2016 | suboffice9 = Without Portfolio | subterm10 = 2013–2015 | suboffice10 = Cabinet Office }} | birth_name = Jonathan Michael Graham Ashworth | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|10|14|df=y}} | birth_place = Salford, Greater Manchester, England | party = Labour Co-op | spouse = {{marriage|Emilie Oldknow|3 July 2010}} | children = 2 | education = Philips High School<br>Bury College | alma_mater = St Aidan's College, Durham (BA) | signature = Jonathan Ashworth signature.svg }} '''Jonathan Michael Graham Ashworth''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} (born 14 October 1978) is a British former Labour and Co-op politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Leicester South from 2011 to 2024. He had served as Shadow Paymaster General from September 2023. Having lost his seat at the 2024 general election, he was appointed chief executive of the Labour Together thinktank.<ref name="Courea">{{cite web |last1=Courea |first1=Eleni |title=Ex-MP Jonathan Ashworth named as new boss of Labour Together think tank |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/09/jonathan-ashworth-new-boss-labour-together-thinktank |website=The Guardian |access-date=10 July 2024 |date=9 July 2024}}</ref>

Prior to his election to Parliament, Ashworth worked as an adviser to Gordon Brown and head of party relations for Ed Miliband.<ref name="Mercury profile">{{cite news |url=http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Ashworth-pledges-champion-city/article-3352055-detail/article.html |title=Labour candidate Ashworth promises to be a 'champion' for city if he wins by-election |newspaper=Leicester Mercury |first=Adrian |last=Troughton |date=21 March 2011 |access-date=6 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110423180253/http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Ashworth-pledges-champion-city/article-3352055-detail/article.html |archive-date=23 April 2011 }}</ref> He was first elected at a by-election in 2011, following the resignation of his predecessor Peter Soulsby. In October 2016, Ashworth was appointed Shadow Health Secretary by party leader Jeremy Corbyn, shadowing Jeremy Hunt and later Matt Hancock alongside the Shadow Minister for Social Care Barbara Keeley.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://labour.org.uk/people/shadow-cabinet/|title=Shadow Cabinet|website=The Labour Party|access-date=20 February 2020|archive-date=5 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305093436/https://labour.org.uk/people/shadow-cabinet/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://members.parliament.uk/Opposition/Cabinet|title=Her Majesty's Official Opposition: The Shadow Cabinet|website=UK Parliament|access-date=20 February 2020|archive-date=15 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215210215/https://members.parliament.uk/Opposition/Cabinet|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2020, Ashworth was reappointed to the position by new leader Keir Starmer, gaining the additional shadow portfolio of social care in England; he was succeeded in the role by Wes Streeting in 2021. Ashworth was Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from 2021 to September 2023, when he was appointed as the Shadow Paymaster General.<ref name="ShadowPaymasterGeneralAppointment" />

==Early life and education== Jonathan Ashworth was born on 14 October 1978 in Salford, was brought up in north Manchester and educated at Philips High School in Whitefield and Bury College.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U254664 |chapter=Ashworth, Jonathan Michael Graham |title=Who's Who 2012 |publisher=A & C Black |year=2012 |edition=online |access-date=3 December 2011}}</ref> He read politics and philosophy at the University of Durham.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cabinet and ministerial appointments following the June 2017 general election|publisher=NHS Providers|date=6 July 2017|page=10|url=https://nhsproviders.org/media/3274/updated-cabinet-and-ministerial-appointments-following-the-june-2017-general-election-july-2017.pdf|access-date=5 April 2020|archive-date=1 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101124317/https://nhsproviders.org/media/3274/updated-cabinet-and-ministerial-appointments-following-the-june-2017-general-election-july-2017.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jonashworth.org/about-jon- |title=Your Strong Voice for Leicester South: Jon Ashworth: Standing to be your new MP |work=Jonashworth.org |access-date=7 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308214917/http://www.jonashworth.org/about-jon- |archive-date=8 March 2012 }}</ref> In 2000 he served as National Secretary of Labour Students.<ref name="Team Brown">{{cite news |title=Bright young things beavering away for Team Brown |newspaper=London Evening Standard |date=27 June 2007}}</ref>

==Political career== === Labour Party officer (2001–2004) === Ashworth began working for the Labour Party as a Political Research Officer in 2001, and was the Economics and Welfare Policy Officer from 2002 to 2004.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/27620.stm |title=Jon Ashworth MP |work=BBC Democracy Live |access-date=30 May 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305203011/http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/27620.stm |archive-date=5 March 2016 }}</ref> In 2003, he was seconded to the Scottish Labour Party to work on the Scottish Parliament election campaign, where he worked closely with then-Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown.

=== Special adviser (2004–2011) === From 2004, he was appointed as Special Adviser to Chief Secretaries to the Treasury Paul Boateng, Des Browne<ref>{{cite news |title=The Times guide to the Government |newspaper=The Times |location= London |date=13 May 2005}}</ref> and Stephen Timms, but in practice he worked for Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown. His main job was liaising with the Labour movement and an ''Evening Standard'' profile said "his contact book was "stuffed with constituency officers and union organisers"; there was newspaper speculation that he would be Political Secretary at 10 Downing Street in a potential future Brown government.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gordon gets his team prepared to take over No 10 |newspaper=London Evening Standard |date=6 September 2006}}</ref>

When Gordon Brown became Prime Minister in June 2007, Ashworth was appointed deputy Political Secretary with the role of linking the Government to the trade unions.<ref name="Team Brown" /> There was speculation later that year that Ashworth might be selected to replace John Prescott as the official Labour candidate for Kingston upon Hull East,<ref>{{cite news |title=Who's in the running to succeed Prescott? |newspaper=Hull Daily Mail |date=22 August 2007}}</ref> although it came to nothing. Ashworth spent most of the Crewe and Nantwich by-election campaign in the constituency.<ref>{{cite news |first=Gaby |last=Hinsliff |title=Labour in Turmoil: Is this the beginning of the end for Brown? |newspaper=The Observer |location= London |date=25 May 2008}}</ref>

After the Labour Party were defeated at the 2010 general election, Ashworth became Political Secretary to the acting party leader Harriet Harman. He did not publicly support any candidate in the subsequent leadership election because of his role working for Harriet Harman but he was described as a "key member" of Ed Miliband's team on the day after Miliband won the Labour leadership election.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Francis |last1=Elliott |first2=Chris |last2=Smyth |title=Dallas and demand management: what really does it for Ed |newspaper=The Times |location= London |date=27 September 2010}}</ref> When Miliband was elected as Leader of the Labour Party, he asked Ashworth to join his office as Head of Party Relations.<ref name="Mercury profile" />

Before the 2010 general election, Ashworth was identified as someone for whom the Labour Party leadership wished to find a seat. He was linked with a possible candidature in Mansfield should the sitting Member of Parliament (MP) Alan Meale decide to stand down, but Meale decided to seek re-election despite widespread speculation he was to retire from Parliament. Ashworth was then identified as a potential candidate for Nottingham East when the sitting MP John Heppell retired,<ref>{{cite news |first=Charles |last=Walker |title=MP calls it a day after a royal time |newspaper=Nottingham Evening Post |date=3 April 2010}}</ref> but the selection went to former MP Chris Leslie when the Labour National Executive Committee chose to impose Leslie at the last minute.<ref>{{cite news |first=Brian |last=Brady |title=Activists threaten rebellion as Brown helps secure seat for ally |newspaper=Independent on Sunday |location= London |date=11 April 2010 |page=10}}</ref>

== Parliamentary career == Ashworth sought selection in Leicester South in 2011 when the sitting MP Peter Soulsby decided to resign to seek election as Mayor of Leicester. He was endorsed by the Co-operative Party and, once elected, became a Co-operative Party MP.<ref>{{cite news |title=Labour is to reveal MP candidates |newspaper=Leicester Mercury |date=17 March 2011}}</ref> Ashworth was selected as the Labour's Party's candidate. At the 2011 Leicester South by-election, Ashworth was elected as MP for the seat with 57.8% of the vote and a majority of 12,078.<ref>{{cite news |first=Adrian |last=Troughton |title=Great day for Labour capped by victory in by-election |newspaper=Leicester Mercury |date=7 May 2011}}</ref>

Ashworth served as an Opposition Whip from October 2011 to October 2013 and Shadow Minister of State for the Cabinet Office from October 2013 to September 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Parliamentary career for Jonathan Ashworth – MPs and Lords – UK Parliament|url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4244/career|access-date=5 January 2021|website=members.parliament.uk|language=en}}</ref>

Following the row over alleged undue influence of trade unions in the Labour Party in the Falkirk parliamentary selection in 2013, Ashworth penned a piece for ''The Daily Telegraph'' claiming that it is ordinary people – not the unions – who choose Labour MPs.<ref name="jon">{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/10159801/Labours-links-to-the-trade-unions-Im-proud-of-them.html |title=Labour's links to the trade unions? I'm proud of them |first=Jon |last=Ashworth |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=4 July 2013 |access-date=8 July 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707111558/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/10159801/Labours-links-to-the-trade-unions-Im-proud-of-them.html |archive-date=7 July 2013 }}</ref>

On 11 July 2013, Ashworth replaced Tom Watson as Deputy Chairman of the National Executive Committee.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://labourlist.org/2013/07/jonathan-ashworth-to-replace-tom-watson-on-labours-nec/ |first=Mark |last=Ferguson |title=Jonathan Ashworth to replace Tom Watson on Labour's NEC |date=11 July 2013 |website=LabourList |access-date=24 June 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223841/http://labourlist.org/2013/07/jonathan-ashworth-to-replace-tom-watson-on-labours-nec/ |archive-date=3 March 2016 }}</ref>

Ashworth was re-elected at the 2015 general election with an increased vote share of 59.8% and an increased majority of 17,845.<ref name="electoralcalculus">{{cite web |title=Election Data 2015 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-date=17 October 2015 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}}</ref> After the election, Ashworth nominated Yvette Cooper to be Leader of the Labour Party following the resignation of Ed Miliband.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Jon-Ashworth-backs-Yvette-Cooper-city-neighbour/story-26662467-detail/story.html |title=Jon Ashworth backs Yvette Cooper over city neighbour Liz Kendall in Labour leadership race |first=Dan |last=Martin |date=9 June 2015 |newspaper=Leicester Mercury |access-date=24 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150917070434/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Jon-Ashworth-backs-Yvette-Cooper-city-neighbour/story-26662467-detail/story.html |archive-date=17 September 2015 }}</ref> He nominated Tom Watson as Deputy Leader.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/06/who-nominated-who-2015-labour-deputy-leadership-election |title= Who nominated who in the 2015 Labour deputy leadership election? |work= New Statesman |location= London |access-date= 24 June 2016 |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151225083138/http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/06/who-nominated-who-2015-labour-deputy-leadership-election |archive-date= 25 December 2015 |df= dmy-all }}</ref>

Following his election as Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn appointed Ashworth to the Shadow Cabinet role of Shadow Minister without Portfolio.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Leicester-South-MP-Jon-Ashworth-Jeremy-Corbyn-s/story-27794193-detail/story.html |first=Dan |last=Martin |title=Leicester South MP Jon Ashworth becomes Jeremy Corbyn's shadow minister without portfolio |date=14 September 2015 |newspaper=Leicester Mercury |access-date=24 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925082348/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Leicester-South-MP-Jon-Ashworth-Jeremy-Corbyn-s/story-27794193-detail/story.html |archive-date=25 September 2015 }}</ref> In December 2015, Ashworth voted against the resolution to authorise RAF bombing of ISIL in Syria.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Jon-Ashworth-MP-Leicester-Leicestershire-vote/story-28291270-detail/story.html |first=Dan |last=Martin |title=Jon Ashworth the only MP from Leicester and Leicestershire to vote against Syria air strikes |date=3 December 2015 |newspaper=Leicester Mercury |access-date=24 June 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225165452/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Jon-Ashworth-MP-Leicester-Leicestershire-vote/story-28291270-detail/story.html |archive-date=25 December 2015 }}</ref> [[File:Jon Ashworth, 2016 Labour Party Conference.jpg|thumb|Ashworth at Labour Party Conference 2016]] Ashworth was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Health in October 2016. Following the 2017 general election, he went on record to say a Labour government would not repeal the controversial Health and Social Care Act 2012 despite Labour's manifesto commitment to do so.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://healthcaretimes.co.uk/labour-will-not-roll-back-health-and-social-care-act/|title=Labour Will not Roll Back Health and Social Care Act|work=Healthcare Times|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001165609/https://healthcaretimes.co.uk/labour-will-not-roll-back-health-and-social-care-act/|archive-date=1 October 2017}}</ref>

Ashworth was again re-elected at the 2017 general election with an increased vote share of 73.6% and an increased majority of 26,261.<ref>{{cite web |title=Parliamentary election |url=https://www.leicester.gov.uk/your-council/elections-and-voting/elections-2017/parliamentary-election/ |website=www.leicester.gov.uk}}</ref> thumb|upright|Ashworth in 2017 In December 2019, it was reported 4,668 patient deaths during the year were linked to safety incidents at hospital, mental health and ambulance trusts. Ashworth held "years of Tory cutbacks" responsible for understaffing and for increasing pressures, which he said put patients at risk.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/08/deaths-of-4600-nhs-patients-linked-to-safety-incidents-says-labour Deaths of 4,600 NHS patients linked to safety incidents] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191209151918/https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/08/deaths-of-4600-nhs-patients-linked-to-safety-incidents-says-labour|date=9 December 2019}} ''The Guardian''</ref>

On 10 December 2019, it emerged that Ashworth had told a friend that he did not believe Labour would win the 2019 general election due to be held two days later. He said that this was largely due to the unpopularity of Jeremy Corbyn and voters outside the cities blaming Labour for not delivering Brexit. His friend, who was a Conservative activist, leaked a recording of the conversation to right-wing website Guido Fawkes. Ashworth later claimed that he was joking and just "joshing around".<ref name=bbc-20191210>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50726592 |title=General election 2019: Jonathan Ashworth apologises after Corbyn criticism leak |work=BBC News |date=10 December 2019 |access-date=6 January 2020 |archive-date=11 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191211211639/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2019-50726592 |url-status=live }}</ref> He was re-elected at the 2019 general election with a decreased vote share of 67% and a decreased majority of 22,675.<ref>{{cite news |title=Leicester South Parliamentary constituency |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000783 |access-date=22 November 2019 |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC}}</ref> He was appointed to the Privy Council on 10 March 2021,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2021-03-10-List-of-Business2.pdf|access-date=15 February 2025|publisher=Privy Council Office|title=Orders for 10 March 2021}}</ref> and sworn on 26 May 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Orders for 26 May 2021 |url=https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2021-05-26-List-of-Business-2.pdf |access-date=15 February 2025|publisher=Privy Council Office}}</ref>

In the November 2021 Shadow Cabinet reshuffle, Ashworth became Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://labourlist.org/2021/11/big-reshuffle-sees-cooper-streeting-lammy-reynolds-phillipson-promoted/ |title=Big reshuffle sees Cooper, Streeting, Lammy, Reynolds, Phillipson promoted |work=LabourList |date=29 November 2021 |access-date=25 February 2022 }}</ref> He remained in the position until the 2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle, which saw him appointed to the position of Shadow Paymaster General.<ref name="ShadowPaymasterGeneralAppointment">{{Cite web |last=Richardson |first=Hannah |date=2023-09-04 |title=New roles for Leicester MPs as Labour reshuffles top team |url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/new-roles-leicester-mps-keir-8726289 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230905221737/https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/new-roles-leicester-mps-keir-8726289 |archive-date=2023-09-05 |access-date=2023-09-04 |website=Leicestershire Live |language=en}}</ref>

On 4 July 2024, Ashworth lost his seat to pro-Palestine independent candidate Shockat Adam.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/huge-shock-as-labour-attack-dog-jonathan-ashworth-loses-his-seat_uk_66875cede4b0971108c2945f|work=HuffPost|title=Huge Shock As Labour Attack Dog Jonathan Ashworth Loses His Seat|first=Kevin|last=Schofield|date=5 July 2024|access-date=5 July 2024}}</ref> He then became chief executive of the think tank Labour Together.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Courea |first=Eleni |date=2024-07-09 |title=Ex-MP Jonathan Ashworth named as new boss of Labour Together thinktank |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/09/jonathan-ashworth-new-boss-labour-together-thinktank |access-date=2024-07-11 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

==Post-parliamentary career== On 9 July 2024, Ashworth was appointed chief executive of the Labour Together think tank.<ref name="Courea" /> In January 2025, ''The Times'' reported that Labour Together had made redundancies, with up to 15% of staff leaving since the previous summer. One of these sources stated that Labour Together lacked "much of a purpose or sense of direction anymore", with few appearances from Ashworth and its director of policy Matthew Upton making decisions instead. One Labour Together member said that the group had "moved away from being a think tank that speaks publicly about policy", instead turning to "influencing government policy through private conversations with ministers and special advisers".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allegretti |first=Aubrey |date=2025-01-26 |title=Group behind Keir Starmer's rise to power 'losing staff and donors' |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/group-behind-keir-starmers-rise-to-power-losing-staff-and-donors-q3fvj3gkg |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=The Times |language=en}}</ref> The Times highlighted that the think tank was "losing staff and donors" and was "faltering under the leadership" of Ashworth, with MPs reporting receiving an increasing number of job applications from staff at Labour Together and funders turning their attention to other think tanks aligned with the Starmer leadership.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Allegretti |first1=Aubrey |title=Group behind Keir Starmer's rise to power 'losing staff and donors' |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/group-behind-keir-starmers-rise-to-power-losing-staff-and-donors-q3fvj3gkg |access-date=24 March 2025 |agency=The Times |date=26 January 2025}}</ref>

Under Ashworth's leadership, Labour Together have faced criticism over their "Farage-flavoured approach" to migration policy, and encouraging the Labour government to "[play] with fire" by leaning "into the anti-migrant policies and rhetoric employed by the populist far-right across Europe" by charity Asylum Matters.<ref name="labourlist.org_2024">{{cite web |last1=Phillips |first1=Nathan |title='Why Labour Together is wrong to back Australia-style immigration targets' |url=https://labourlist.org/2024/12/labour-together-wrong-australia-style-immigration-targets/ |website=LabourList |access-date=24 March 2025 |date=18 December 2025}}</ref> The LabourList article went on to say that Labour Together was proposing directions that lead to 'the road to a ruinous breakdown of community cohesion and the house of cards that is the progressive electoral coalition that brought Labour to power in the first place.'<ref name="labourlist.org_2024"/> Ashworth announced in April 2025 that he would be stepping down from the role of CEO at Labour Together in July, after one year in the role, focusing on writing a book and launching a new podcast.<ref name="labourlist.org_2025">{{cite web |last=Green |first=Daniel |title=Jonathan Ashworth 'to quit as Labour Together CEO in July'|url=https://labourlist.org/2025/04/labour-together-jonathan-ashworth-to-quit/ |website=LabourList |access-date=25 September 2025 |date=18 April 2025}}</ref>

In July 2024, Ashworth was one of five politicians to cover for James O'Brien's radio show on LBC, as part of the station's "Guest Week".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2024/07/five-guest-presenters-to-cover-for-james-obrien-on-lbc/|title=Five guest presenters to cover for James O'Brien on LBC|date=22 July 2024|work=Radio Today|access-date=24 July 2024}}</ref>

In August 2024, Ashworth led a team of senior Labour figures to the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, where he advised the Harris campaign on electoral strategy for the 2024 US Presidential Election.<ref>{{cite web |title=2024 US election: Jonathan Ashworth to meet with Kamala Harris team to share campaign tips |url=https://labourlist.org/2024/08/2024-presidential-election-jonathan-ashworth-labour-together-kamala-harris-chicago/ |publisher=LabourList |access-date=6 November 2024}}</ref> Harris subsequently lost the election to former president Donald Trump.

==Personal life== In 2008, Ashworth became engaged to Emilie Oldknow,{{citation needed|date=November 2024}} who later was a failed Labour candidate for Sherwood at the 2010 general election.<ref>{{cite news |first=Rob |last=Parsons |title=Farmer Mark in a thriller at dawn |newspaper=Nottingham Evening Post |date=8 May 2010}}</ref> Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah attended the couple's wedding on 3 July 2010,<ref>{{cite news |title=Guest Appearance |newspaper=The Sunday Telegraph |location= London |date=4 July 2010}}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=October 2024}} at St Michael's Church, Holbrook in Derbyshire.<ref>"Look who was at my wedding" ''Chad'', 21 July 2010, p.18. Accessed 17 November 2024</ref> The Ashworths have two daughters.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jonathan Ashworth interrupted by daughter during BBC News interview |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-leicestershire-57146310 |access-date=18 May 2021}}</ref>

Ashworth and Oldknow separated in 2022 and divorced in 2024. It was reported in February 2025 that Ashworth was in a relationship with Labour MP Stephanie Peacock.<ref>{{cite news|title=Westminster power couples — 2025 edition|work=Politico|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/westminster-power-couples-2025-edition/|access-date=14 May 2025}}</ref>

As shadow health secretary, Ashworth advocated legislation to prevent alcoholism, inspired by his own experience of his father who was an alcoholic.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Smith|first1=Mikey|last2=Mack|first2=Tom|date=2021-11-21|title=MP cries during TV interview as he speaks about his alcoholic father|url=https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/jon-ashworth-mp-cries-during-6238229|access-date=2021-11-22|website=LeicestershireLive|language=en}}</ref>

Ashworth had an ischemic stroke on 1 January 2026.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/former-labour-mp-calls-more-36796009|last=Brown|first=Alexander|date=1 March 2026|title=Former Labour MP calls for more testing after stroke on New Year's Day|newspaper=The Mirror|access-date=2 March 2026}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{UK MP links | parliament = jonathan-ashworth/4244 | hansard = | hansardcurr =  | guardian = 14333/jonathan-ashworth | publicwhip = Jonathan_Ashworth | theywork = 25120/jon_ashworth/leicester_south | record = | bbc = 27620.stm | journalisted = jon-ashworth }}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{s-bef|before=Peter Soulsby}} {{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for Leicester South|years=2011–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Shockat Adam}} |- {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Tom Watson}} {{s-ttl|title=Deputy Chair of the Labour Party|years=2013–2016}} {{s-aft|after=Position abolished}} |- {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Jon Trickett}} {{s-ttl|title=Shadow Minister without Portfolio|years=2015–2016}} {{s-aft|after=Andrew Gwynne}} |- {{s-bef|before=Diane Abbott}} {{s-ttl|title=Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care|years=2016–2021}} {{s-aft|after=Wes Streeting}} |- {{s-bef|before=Jonathan Reynolds}} {{s-ttl|title=Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions|years=2021–2023}} {{s-aft|after=Liz Kendall}} |- {{s-bef|before=Fleur Anderson}} {{s-ttl|title=Shadow Paymaster General|years=2023–2024}} {{s-aft|after=John Glen}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashworth, Jonathan}} Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:Alumni of St Aidan's College, Durham Category:Labour Co-operative MPs for English constituencies Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Category:UK MPs 2010–2015 Category:UK MPs 2015–2017 Category:UK MPs 2017–2019 Category:UK MPs 2019–2024 Category:Politicians from Salford Category:Politicians from Leicester Category:Politicians from Leicestershire Category:British special advisers Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire