Dan Jarvis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Major The Right Honourable Dan Jarvis MBE MP
Official portrait, 2024
Secretary of State for Defence
Incumbent
Assumed office 11 June 2026
Preceded by	John Healey
Junior ministerial offices Minister of State in the Cabinet Office In office 6 September 2025 – 11 June 2026 Preceded by Douglas Alexander Succeeded by Angela Eagle Minister of State for Security In office 6 July 2024 – 11 June 2026 Preceded by Tom Tugendhat Succeeded by Angela Eagle
Shadow portfolios 2023–2024 Minister for Security 2015–2015 Foreign Affairs 2013–2015 Youth Justice and Victims 2011–2013 Culture
Member of Parliament for Barnsley North Barnsley Central (2011–2024)
Incumbent
Assumed office 3 March 2011
Preceded by	Eric Illsley
Majority	7,811 (21.1%)
Mayor of South Yorkshire Sheffield City Region (2018–2021)
In office 7 May 2018 – 8 May 2022
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Oliver Coppard
Personal details
Born	Daniel Owen Woolgar Jarvis (1972-11-30) 30 November 1972 (age 53) Nottingham, England
Political party	Labour Co-op
Spouses	Caroline (died 2010) Rachel Jarvis ​ (m. 2013)​
Children	3
Alma mater	Aberystwyth University (BA) Royal Military Academy Sandhurst King's College London (MA)
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	British Army
Rank	Major
Unit	Parachute Regiment
Battles/wars	Operation Banner Kosovo War Operation Telic Operation Herrick

Daniel Owen Woolgar Jarvis (born 30 November 1972) is a British politician and a former officer in the British Army. He has been the Secretary of State for Defence since 2026. Before this, he was the Minister of State for Security from 2024 to 2026. Mr. Jarvis is a member of the Labour and Co-operative Party. He has also been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Barnsley North (and before that, Barnsley Central) since 2011.

Mr. Jarvis was born in Nottingham, England. He went to Rushcliffe School and later studied at Aberystwyth University and King's College London. He joined the British Army in 1997, becoming an officer in the Parachute Regiment. He served in important missions in places like Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He became a Major in 2003. In 2011, he left the army and was awarded the MBE for his service.

Mr. Jarvis joined the Labour Party during his university years. In 2011, he was elected as the MP for Barnsley Central (now Barnsley North). He served in various roles for the opposition party, including shadow minister for culture and shadow minister for foreign affairs. From 2018 to 2022, he was the Mayor of the Sheffield City Region.

After some time away from front-line political roles, Mr. Jarvis became Shadow Minister for Security in 2023. When the Labour Party won the general election in 2024, he became the Minister of State for Security. In September 2025, he also became the Minister of State in the Cabinet Office. In June 2026, he was promoted to Secretary of State for Defence.

Early Life and Education

Daniel Owen Woolgar Jarvis was born in Nottingham on 30 November 1972. His parents were both members of the Labour Party. His father was a college lecturer and his mother was a probation officer. He went to Lady Bay Primary School and then Rushcliffe School.

Mr. Jarvis studied international politics at Aberystwyth University. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996. Later, in 2011, he received a Master of Arts degree from King's College London. This degree focused on conflict, security, and development.

Military Service

Mr. Jarvis began his military career in 1997. He trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He then became an officer in the Parachute Regiment. He was promoted to Captain in 2001 and then to Major in 2003. Towards the end of his time in the army, he worked at the main headquarters for land forces.

In 1999, Major Jarvis served in Kosovo as a platoon commander. He was present during a famous moment at Pristina Airport. Here, General Sir Mike Jackson refused an order from an American NATO general. General Jackson did not want to start a bigger conflict by confronting Russian forces. Major Jarvis later worked as General Jackson's personal assistant. In 2000, he went to Sierra Leone. His mission was to help the army learn from a past event where soldiers were taken by a rebel group.

Major Jarvis also served in Iraq during Operation Telic. He was deployed to Afghanistan twice for Operation Herrick. His first trip to Afghanistan was in 2005-2006. He helped explore Helmand Province to see if British troops should be sent there. His second time in Afghanistan was a six-month tour. He led a company of 100 troops as a company commander. He also served in Northern Ireland.

He left the army on 3 March 2011. In 2011, he received the MBE award for his military service.

Starting in Politics

Even though his army work meant he couldn't be involved in politics, Mr. Jarvis joined the Labour Party when he was 18. This was during his time at university. Before the 2010 general election, he tried to become a Labour candidate for a seat in South Wales. However, he was not chosen for that role.

On 27 January 2011, Mr. Jarvis was chosen as the Labour candidate for Barnsley Central. This happened after the previous MP, Eric Illsley, resigned due to issues with his parliamentary expenses. The selection process was close. Mr. Jarvis eventually won the chance to represent the party. He was the first Labour candidate for Barnsley Central since 1938 who was not originally from Yorkshire.

After being selected, he left the army to run in the election. His campaign was called 'Operation Honey Badger,' showing his strong commitment to the people of Barnsley. Some voters in Barnsley were initially unsure about him. This was because he was from Nottingham, not Yorkshire. However, he worked hard to connect with the community.

Public Service: MP and Mayor

First Years as an MP

Jarvis in 2011 during the Barnsley by-election

Mr. Jarvis was elected as the MP for Barnsley Central on 3 March 2011. He won with 60.8% of the votes.

In his first speech in Parliament, Mr. Jarvis spoke about the economy. He asked for new plans to create jobs and support families. He also mentioned his army friends who had passed away. He joined the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee. In May 2011, he spoke about changes to the NHS. He thanked the healthcare workers who had helped his wife. He worried that some changes might harm the NHS.

In October 2011, Mr. Jarvis became the shadow arts minister. This meant he spoke for the opposition on culture, media, and sport. In 2013, he became the shadow youth justice and victims minister.

After the Labour Party lost the 2015 general election, Mr. Jarvis decided not to run for party leader. He wanted to focus on his family. He then became the shadow minister for foreign affairs. He stepped down from this role in September 2015.

Serving as Mayor of South Yorkshire

Becoming Mayor

Official portrait, 2020

Mr. Jarvis was elected Mayor of the Sheffield City Region in 2018. He was the first person to hold this position. He won with 48% of the votes in the first count. He announced on 20 September 2021 that he would not seek re-election as Mayor. However, he continued to serve as an MP.

Boosting the Local Economy

As Mayor, Mr. Jarvis introduced plans to improve the economy and society in the region. One key plan was the Strategic Economic Plan (SEP). This was a 20-year guide to create stronger, greener, and fairer economic growth. The SEP aimed to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2040. It also focused on creating well-paid jobs and reducing differences in income. This plan was created with local councils and businesses.

Mr. Jarvis also worked to improve skills and education. He supported the Sheffield Children's University. This program encouraged children to join extra activities to boost their learning. It especially helped children from less privileged backgrounds.

He also supported initiatives to help people facing poverty. He worked with food banks and community groups. In 2019, he set up the Sheffield City Region Co-Operative Advisory Panel. This group helped apply co-operative values to local policies.

Protecting the Environment

Mr. Jarvis put in place environmental policies to fight climate change. In November 2019, he declared a Climate Emergency for the region. This led to an ambitious environmental plan. He committed the region to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. This was ten years earlier than the national target. To help achieve this, he introduced the Sheffield City Region's Energy Strategy in July 2020. This plan aimed to make the region's energy system cleaner.

Improving Transport and Infrastructure

Mr. Jarvis also pushed for new projects to improve transport and connections in the city. A major project was "Connecting Sheffield." This focused on making walking and cycling easier. The £50 million project aimed to reduce traffic, improve air quality, and encourage active lifestyles. It included new cycling routes and better bus routes.

He also supported the Northern Powerhouse Rail plan. He called for a £39 billion investment to improve train links across Northern England. This plan aimed to cut travel times and boost economic growth.

Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Mr. Jarvis also helped the region deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. He set up the South Yorkshire COVID-19 Response Group. This group brought together local organizations to help the region recover. They worked to support the economy and society during the pandemic. They also asked the government for more help. He supported the Kickstart scheme, which created job opportunities for young people.

After the pandemic, Mr. Jarvis created the South Yorkshire Renewal Fund. This was a £500 million program. It aimed to boost infrastructure, transport, and jobs. This fund helped improve stalled projects and public transport. It also supported local businesses and created jobs.

Role as Shadow Security Minister

In 2023, Mr. Jarvis returned to a front-line political role. He was appointed Shadow Minister for Security. This meant he spoke for the opposition on security matters.

Government Roles (2024-2026)

Jarvis (standing front far left) at G7 Interior and Security Ministers' meeting in Ottawa in November 2025.

After the Labour Party won the 2024 general election, Mr. Jarvis joined the government. He was appointed Minister of State for Security on 5 July. He was one of six MPs from Yorkshire to join the new government.

Following a tragic incident where several people were harmed by a crossbow attack, Mr. Jarvis spoke about reviewing laws on weapons. He said it was "entirely reasonable" to question current laws. He stated that ministers would act "decisively" if changes were needed.

In September 2025, Mr. Jarvis was also appointed Minister of State in the Cabinet Office.

Secretary of State for Defence

On 11 June 2026, Mr. Jarvis was appointed as Secretary of State for Defence. This happened after John Healey resigned from the role. This promotion made Mr. Jarvis a senior minister. He is now in charge of the British Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces.

Views on Important Issues

Official portrait, 2017

In December 2015, Mr. Jarvis voted for military action in Syria against ISIL. He believed it was necessary to attack ISIL's command centers. He had previously opposed military action against the Assad regime in Syria in 2013.

Mr. Jarvis supported staying in the European Union during the referendum. However, his local area voted strongly to leave. He later voted to start the process of leaving the EU. He felt it was important to respect the referendum result and his constituents' views.

Mr. Jarvis is also a supporter of Labour Friends of Israel.

Personal Life

Mr. Jarvis met his first wife, Caroline, in 2000. They had their first child in 2003, just before he went to Iraq. Their second child was born in 2004. Sadly, Caroline Jarvis passed away in July 2010 at the age of 43. In 2013, Mr. Jarvis married Rachel Jarvis, a graphic designer. They later had a child together.

His book, A Long Way Home, was published in 2020. It tells the story of his time in the British Army. It also shares how he dealt with the illness and passing of his first wife. The book won the Best Memoir award at the Parliamentary Book Awards in 2020.

He has run the London Marathon every year since 2010.

Awards and Recognition

	Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
	NATO Medal for Kosovo
	General Service Medal
	Iraq Medal
	OSM for Afghanistan
	Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal	2002

Mr. Jarvis became a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom on 15 June 2026. This happened when he was appointed Secretary of State for Defence. This honor means he can be called "the Right Honourable" for life.