{{Short description|British Labour politician}} {{Other people||Sue Jones (disambiguation){{!}}Sue Jones}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Susan Elan Jones | honorific_suffix = | image = Official portrait of Susan Elan Jones crop 2.jpg | office = [[Wales Office|Shadow Minister for Wales]] | leader = [[Jeremy Corbyn]] | predecessor = [[Nia Griffith]] | successor = [[Gerald Jones]] | term_start = 18 September 2015 | term_end = 27 June 2016 | constituency_MP1 = [[Clwyd South (UK Parliament constituency)|Clwyd South]] | parliament1 = | majority1 = | term_start1 = 6 May 2010 | term_end1 = 6 November 2019 | predecessor1 = [[Martyn Jones]] | successor1 = [[Simon Baynes]] | office2 = [[Southwark London Borough Council|Southwark Borough Councillor]]<br />for The Lane ward | term_start2 = 4 May 2006 | term_end2 = 11 November 2009 | predecessor2 = Aubyn Graham | successor2 = Nick Dolezal | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1968|06|01|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Ponciau]], [[Wrexham]], Wales, UK | spouse = | party = [[Welsh Labour]] | website = {{official URL}} | caption = Official portrait, 2017 }}
'''Susan Elan Jones''' (born 1 June 1968<ref name="bbc-democracylive">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/representatives/profiles/83418.stm|title=Susan Elan Jones MP|publisher=BBC News|work=Democracy Live|access-date=25 July 2010}}</ref>) is a British former [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] politician. She was elected at the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]] as the [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Clwyd South (UK Parliament constituency)|Clwyd South]], replacing the previous Labour MP [[Martyn Jones]] after his retirement.<ref name="Election2010">{{cite news|url=http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/88237/wrexham-and-clwyd-south-stay-red-but-majorities-are-slashed.aspx|title=Wrexham and Clwyd South stay Red but majorities are slashed|publisher=NWN Media Ltd|work=The Leader|date=7 May 2010|access-date=7 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100509015626/http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/88237/wrexham-and-clwyd-south-stay-red-but-majorities-are-slashed.aspx|archive-date=9 May 2010|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> She returned to the voluntary sector after leaving Parliament.<ref name= "linkedinprofile">{{cite web |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-elan-jones-7035201b3/ |title=Susan Elan Jones |website=[[LinkedIn]]}}</ref>
==Biography== Jones comes from [[Ponciau]] near [[Rhosllannerchrugog]] and studied at [[Bristol University]] and [[Cardiff University]].<ref name="telegraph-profile">{{cite news|url=http://ukpolitics.telegraph.co.uk/Clwyd+South/Susan+Jones|title=Susan Jones – Parliamentary Candidates|work=The Daily Telegraph|year=2010|access-date=7 May 2010|location=London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831204528/http://ukpolitics.telegraph.co.uk/Clwyd+South/Susan+Jones|archive-date=31 August 2011|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> She worked as a charity manager and professional fundraiser for 15 years before becoming an MP.<ref>{{cite web |title=Companies House - Susan Elan Jones |url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/kpXq8PIVp47AUhr0MPri-q-H95w/appointments |website=Companies House |access-date=25 March 2019}}</ref>
In the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], Jones stood for Labour in [[Surrey Heath (UK Parliament constituency)|Surrey Heath]], coming third.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC NEWS {{!}} VOTE 2001 {{!}} RESULTS & CONSTITUENCIES {{!}} Surrey Heath |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/vote2001/results_constituencies/constituencies/560.stm |access-date=2023-04-10 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> From [[2006 Southwark Council election|2006]] to 2009 she was a councillor in the [[London Borough of Southwark]] and was deputy leader of the opposition from 2007 to 2009.<ref name="Parliament.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/susan-jones/83418|title=Susan Elan Jones profile|publisher=UK Parliament|access-date=28 September 2012}}{{Dead link|date=June 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}</ref>
==Parliamentary career== Following the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]], as the new [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Clwyd South (UK Parliament constituency)|Clwyd South]], Jones took her Parliamentary [[Oath of Allegiance (United Kingdom)|Oath of Allegiance]] to the Queen in [[Welsh language|Welsh]]; she is fluent in the language.
When making her [[maiden speech]] in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom]] on 9 June 2010 Jones spoke of the historic discrimination faced by speakers of the Welsh language. In her speech, she compared the ordinary people who campaigned for the Welsh language at times when it had not been fashionable to do so as civil rights activists "in the mould of Mrs [[Rosa Parks]]".<ref>{{cite news | last = Staff writer | title = Dromey and De Piero among maiden speeches | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100614065610/http://www.epolitix.com/latestnews/article-detail/newsarticle/new-mps-speak-out-against-id-cards | archive-date = 14 June 2010 | url = http://www.epolitix.com/latestnews/article-detail/newsarticle/new-mps-speak-out-against-id-cards | website = epolitix.com | publisher = ePolitiX.com | date = 10 June 2010 | url-status = usurped | access-date = 11 June 2010 }}</ref><ref name="bbc-maidens">{{cite news|last=Staff writer|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/comment/newsid_8734000/8734105.stm|title=A bevy of maidens|publisher=BBC|work=Democracy Live|date=29 June 2010|access-date=28 September 2012}}</ref> During her time as MP she returned to the issue in her speeches in the Commons, including on the Welsh television channel [[S4C]]<ref name=hansard1>{{cite hansard|house=[[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110712/debtext/110712-0003.htm#11071277000134|date=12 July 2011|column=229|title=Cymraeg|speaker=Susan Jones |position=[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for [[Clwyd South (UK Parliament constituency)|Clwyd South]]}}</ref> and campaigned successfully for Welsh to be used in Parliament at meetings of the Welsh Grand Committee<ref>{{cite news |last1=Roberts |first1=Joe |title=MPs held a Commons debate in Welsh for first time ever |url=https://metro.co.uk/2018/02/07/mps-held-commons-debate-welsh-first-time-ever-7294774/ |access-date=23 November 2018 |work=Metro}}</ref>
She campaigned on military issues, and used her first appearance at Prime Minister's Questions to support a [[The Royal British Legion|Royal British Legion]] campaign against the planned abolition of the Chief Coroner's office, which they argued would have undermined the independence and quality of investigations into military deaths.<ref name=hansard2>{{cite hansard|house=[[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm111102/debtext/111102-0001.htm#11110289002066|date=2 November 2011|column_start=918|column_end=919|title=Abolition of Chief Coroner's Office|speaker=Susan Jones |position=[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for [[Clwyd South (UK Parliament constituency)|Clwyd South]]}}</ref> Prime Minister [[David Cameron]] reversed his decision two weeks later and announced that the service would not be scrapped.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-15859410|work=BBC News|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|title=Chief coroner: Royal British Legion welcomes U-turn|date=23 November 2011}}</ref> She assailed Conservative Justice Secretary [[Kenneth Clarke]] over "secret inquests" opposed by military families, provoking a "swipe" at the Royal British Legion from the Minister.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9141681/Sketch-Ken-Clarkes-swipe-at-the-Royal-British-Legion.html|location=London, UK|work=The Daily Telegraph|first=Michael|last=Deacon|title=Sketch: Ken Clarke's swipe at the Royal British Legion|date=13 March 2012}}</ref>
She frequently backed various local business interests in parliamentary debates, including solar panel businesses concerned about cuts to subsidies for domestic solar panels,<ref name=hansard3>{{cite hansard|house=[[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]]|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm111123/debtext/111123-0003.htm#11112385004261|date=23 November 2011|column_start=397|column_end=398|title=Solar paneling|speaker=Susan Jones |position=[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for [[Clwyd South (UK Parliament constituency)|Clwyd South]]}}</ref> and wood panelling businesses<ref name=hansard4>{{cite hansard|house=[[Westminster Hall]]|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110316/halltext/110316h0001.htm#110316109000484 |date=16 March 2011 |column=108WH|title=Wood panel industry|speaker=Susan Jones |position=[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] for [[Clwyd South (UK Parliament constituency)|Clwyd South]]}}</ref> which employ many people in the Clwyd South constituency.
Jones strongly advocated the publication of all MPs' expenses and published her own expense claims on her website each month.<ref name="susanjones-expenses">{{cite web|url=http://www.susanelanjones.co.uk/index.php?id=25|title=Expenses/Treuliau|publisher=Susan Jones MP|access-date=28 September 2012}}</ref> She is a past recipient of the Brake Parliamentarian of the Year award for her campaigning on road safety.<ref>{{cite web |title=Susan Elan Jones, MP for Clwyd South |url=http://www.brake.org.uk/what-s-happening/23-parliamentarian-awards/1180-sejpomjan14 |website=Brake |access-date=26 April 2019}}</ref>
From October 2010 to October 2011, Jones served as [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] to [[Harriet Harman]] MP, the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, in her role as [[Shadow Secretary of State for International Development]]. In the October 2011 reshuffle, Jones was appointed to the Labour front bench as a [[whip (politics)|Whip]].<ref name="newteam">{{cite web|url=http://www.labour.org.uk/ed-milibands-new-frontbench-team|title=Ed Miliband's new frontbench team|publisher=Labour Party|date=10 October 2011|access-date=28 September 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609145553/http://www.labour.org.uk/ed-milibands-new-frontbench-team|archive-date=9 June 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
Jones resigned from [[Jeremy Corbyn]]'s Shadow Ministerial Team, along with dozens of her colleagues, in June 2016 and, in calling Corbyn "unelectable", also urged him to resign as Labour leader. She supported [[Owen Smith]] in the failed attempt to replace [[Jeremy Corbyn]] in the [[2016 Labour Party leadership election (UK)|2016 Labour leadership election]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://labourlist.org/2016/07/which-mps-and-meps-have-nominated-owen-smith/|title=Full list of MPs and MEPs backing challenger Owen Smith|date=2016-07-21|website=LabourList|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-07-15}}</ref> Via a statement on her website, Jones called Brexit "a disaster"<ref>{{cite web|title=Statement by Susan Elan Jones MP|url=http://www.susanelanjones.co.uk/statement-by-susan-elan-jones-mp/|website=Susan Elan Jones|access-date=10 May 2017|date=27 June 2016}}</ref> and supported the campaign for a People's Vote on the final Brexit deal.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Clifford |first1=Alex |title=Susan Elan Jones – Pink Book figures show EU exports at a record high |url=https://www.peoples-vote.uk/susan_elan_jones_pink_book_figures_show_eu_exports_at_a_record_high |website=People's Vote |access-date=6 December 2018}}</ref> Jones is a proponent of proportional representation and a supporter of the [[Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform]].
She was defeated in the [[2019 United Kingdom general election]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/W07000062|title = Clwyd South parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News}}</ref>
== Voluntary Sector == Susan Elan Jones returned to the voluntary sector after leaving Parliament.<ref name= "linkedinprofile"/> As an MP, she was Co-Chair of the [https://www.ncvo.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/all-party-parliamentary-group All Party Parliamentary Group for Charities and Volunteering].<ref>{{cite web |title=ALL-PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP ON CHARITIES AND VOLUNTEERING |url=https://www.ncvo.org.uk/about-us/media-centre/all-party-parliamentary-group |website=NCVO |access-date=18 December 2018}}</ref> She served as a member of the Bill Committees for the Small Charitable Donations Bill, the Small Charitable Donations and Childcare Payments Bill and the National Citizen Service Bill.<ref>{{cite web |title=Theyworkforyou Susan Elan Jones |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/24720/susan_elan_jones/clwyd_south |website=Theyworkforyou |access-date=18 December 2018}}</ref> Jones co-authored the 'Red Book of the Voluntary Sector' (CAF/ACEVO,2015)<ref>{{cite web |title=THE RED BOOK OF THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE LABOUR PARTY AFTER THE 2015 ELECTION |url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/24720/susan_elan_jones/clwyd_south |website=Charities Aid Foundation |access-date=18 December 2018}}</ref> and has also written on social enterprises and Corporate Social Responsibility.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Simpson |first1=Aden |title=Social enterprise a practical solution in tight times - Susan Elan Jones MP |url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/social-affairs/interview/politicshome/76190/social-enterprise-practical-solution-tight-times |website=PoliticsHome |access-date=18 December 2018|date=15 June 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Susan |title=Transparency around charitable donations should not be feared by the private sector |url=http://www.susanelanjones.co.uk/transparency-around-charitable-donations-should-not-be-feared-by-the-private-sector/ |website=Susan Elan Jones MP website |access-date=18 December 2018|date=10 March 2016 }}</ref> She is a regular platform speaker at voluntary sector conferences and events.<ref>{{cite web |title=Westminster Social Policy Forum Keynote Seminar: The future for charity fundraising: finance, data and priorities for the Fundraising Regulator |url=http://www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/agenda/charity-fundraising-18-agenda.pdf |website=Westminster Social Policy Forum |access-date=18 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=CELEBRATING EXCELLENT FUNDRAISING IN THE CHARITY SECTOR |url=https://www.institute-of-fundraising.org.uk/blog/celebrating-excellent-fundraising-in-the-charity-sector/ |website=Institute of Fundraising |access-date=18 December 2018}}</ref> Jones introduced the Charity Trustees (Time Off for Duties) Bill to Parliament in March 2019.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mason |first1=Tania |title=Bill to allow trustees time off from work is read in Parliament |url=https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/news/bill-to-allow-trustees-time-off-from-work-is-read-in-parliament.html |website=Civil Society |access-date=13 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Charity Trustees (Time Off for Duties) |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-03-06/debates/690D9C3E-A00F-4065-85F3-0043E22C8537/CharityTrustees(TimeOffForDuties) |website=Hansard |access-date=13 March 2019}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100521142728/http://www2.labour.org.uk/mp/susan_jones/829 Susan Jones MP] Labour Party profile *[http://www.welshlabour.org.uk/candidates/susanelanjonesclwydsouth/ Susan Jones MP]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Welsh Labour Party profile *{{UK MP links | parliament = susan-jones/3956 | hansard = | hansardcurr = <!-- 5602 --> | guardian = 11470/susan-jones | publicwhip = Susan_Elan_Jones | theywork = susan_elan_jones | record = Susan-Jones/Clwyd-South/1152 | bbc = 83418.stm | journalisted = }}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{s-bef|before=[[Martyn Jones]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Clwyd South (UK Parliament constituency)|Clwyd South]] |years=[[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010]]–2019}} {{s-aft|after=[[Simon Baynes]]}} {{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Susan Elan}} [[Category:1968 births]] [[Category:21st-century British women politicians]] [[Category:Alumni of Cardiff University]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Bristol]] [[Category:Councillors in the London Borough of Southwark]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Welsh Labour MPs]] [[Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Welsh constituencies]] [[Category:People from Wrexham]] [[Category:UK MPs 2010–2015]] [[Category:UK MPs 2015–2017]] [[Category:UK MPs 2017–2019]] [[Category:Welsh-speaking politicians]] [[Category:Women councillors in England]]