Dan Jarvis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Major Dan Jarvis MBE MP
Official portrait, 2024
Minister of State for Security
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 July 2024
Prime Minister	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Tom Tugendhat
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%)
Shadow portfolios 2023–2024 Security 2015–2015 Foreign Affairs 2013–2015 Youth Justice and Victims 2011–2013 Culture
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 52) Nottingham, England
Political party	Labour Co-op
Alma mater	Aberystwyth University (BA) Royal Military Academy Sandhurst King's College London (MA)
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch/service	British Army
Years of service	1997–2011
Rank	Major
Unit	Parachute Regiment
Battles/wars	Operation Banner Kosovo War Operation Telic Operation Herrick

Daniel Owen Woolgar Jarvis, born on November 30, 1972, is a British politician and a former Army officer. Since July 2024, he has served as the Minister of State for Security, a role focused on national safety. He has also been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Barnsley North since 2011, representing the people of that area in the UK Parliament.

Before becoming an MP, he was the Mayor of South Yorkshire from 2018 to 2022. He is a member of the Labour and Co-operative Party, a political group in the UK. Before his political career, Jarvis served in the Parachute Regiment of the British Army from 1997 to 2011.

Early Life and Education

Daniel Owen Woolgar Jarvis was born in Nottingham, England, on November 30, 1972. His mother was a probation officer, and his father was a lecturer at a college that trained teachers. Both of his parents were members of the Labour Party.

He attended Lady Bay Primary School and then Rushcliffe School. After school, he went to the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, where he studied international politics. He earned his first degree in 1996. Later, in 2011, he completed a master's degree in conflict, security, and development from King's College London.

Military Service

Dan Jarvis began his military career after training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He joined the Parachute Regiment as an officer on August 9, 1997. He was promoted to captain in 2001 and then to major in 2003.

During his time in the Army, Jarvis served in several important missions. In 1999, he was a platoon commander in Kosovo during the Kosovo War. He was present during a tense moment at Pristina Airport when a British general refused to follow an American general's order that could have started a bigger conflict. Jarvis later worked as a personal assistant to that general.

He also served in Iraq during Operation Telic and in Afghanistan during Operation Herrick. He went to Afghanistan twice. The first time, he helped explore Helmand Province to see if British troops should be sent there. The second time, he led a company of 100 soldiers. He also served in Northern Ireland.

Jarvis left the Army on March 3, 2011. For his service, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2011.

Start of Political Career

Even though he was in the military, Dan Jarvis had joined the Labour Party when he was 18. Before the 2010 general election, he tried to become a Labour candidate for a seat in South Wales but was not chosen.

In January 2011, Jarvis was selected as the Labour candidate for Barnsley Central. This happened after the previous MP, Eric Illsley, resigned. Jarvis was the first Labour candidate for Barnsley Central since 1938 who was not from Yorkshire.

When he was chosen, he left the Army to run in the special election, called a by-election. He named his campaign 'Operation Honey Badger' to show his strong determination to help the people of Barnsley. Some voters in Barnsley were unsure about him because he was from Nottingham, as they remembered that miners from Nottinghamshire did not join the 1984–85 miners' strike.

Work in Parliament

Jarvis in 2017

Member of Parliament

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

In his first speech in Parliament, called a maiden speech, Jarvis talked about the economy. He asked for changes to help create jobs and support families. He also honored his Army friends who had died and spoke about the need for peace in Afghanistan. He joined the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee in March 2011.

In May 2011, Jarvis spoke about changes to the NHS. He shared his personal experience with the NHS, praising the doctors and nurses who cared for his first wife. He worried that new policies might harm the NHS.

In October 2011, Jarvis became the shadow arts minister, working with the Labour Party's team for culture, media, and sport. In 2013, he moved to become the shadow youth justice and victims minister.

After the 2015 general election, some people thought Jarvis might run to become the leader of the Labour Party. However, he decided not to, saying he needed to focus on his young family.

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

Jarvis supported staying in the European Union during the 2016 referendum. However, his local area voted strongly to leave. After the vote, he respected his constituents' views and voted to begin the process of leaving the EU.

Shadow Minister for Security

In 2023, Dan Jarvis was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Security. In this role, he was part of the opposition party's team, focusing on national security issues.

Mayor of South Yorkshire (2018–2022)

Becoming Mayor

In 2018, Dan Jarvis was elected as the first directly chosen Mayor of South Yorkshire. He won with 48% of the votes in the first round. He successfully argued that he should be allowed to hold both the mayor's job and his MP role at the same time.

He announced on September 20, 2021, that he would not run for re-election as mayor in 2022, but would continue to serve as an MP.

Economy and Skills

As mayor, Jarvis introduced plans to improve the economy and society in South Yorkshire. One key plan was the Strategic Economic Plan (SEP), a 20-year guide to create stronger, greener, and fairer economic growth. This plan aimed for net zero carbon emissions by 2040, creating good jobs, and reducing differences in income.

He also worked to improve skills and education. He supported the Sheffield Children's University, which encouraged children to join extra activities to help them learn. This program aimed to help children from less privileged backgrounds.

Jarvis also focused on helping people facing poverty. He supported food banks and worked to prevent food shortages. He also set up the Sheffield City Region Co-Operative Advisory Panel in 2019. This group aimed to use co-operative ideas to shape local policies, including improving public transport.

Climate Change Efforts

Jarvis put in place environmental policies to fight climate change. In November 2019, he declared a Climate Emergency for the region. He committed South Yorkshire to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, which was ten years earlier than the national target.

To 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.

Infrastructure Projects

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

He also supported the Northern Powerhouse Rail plan, which aimed for a £39 billion investment to improve train connections across Northern England. This plan included upgrading key rail lines and connecting the Sheffield HS2 station to the wider network.

COVID-19 Response

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jarvis helped lead the region's recovery. He created the South Yorkshire COVID-19 Response Group, which brought together local businesses, universities, and community groups. This group worked to respond to the pandemic's impact on the economy and society.

He also helped implement the Kickstart scheme, which created job opportunities for young people affected by the pandemic. After the pandemic, Jarvis set up the South Yorkshire Renewal Fund, a £500 million program. This fund aimed to boost infrastructure, transport, and jobs in the region.

Minister of State for Security (2024–Present)

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

In July 2024, after a tragic crossbow attack in Bushey, Jarvis called the event "devastating" and offered his sympathy to the victims' families. He stated that it was "entirely reasonable" to review current laws on weapons. He also mentioned that the Home Secretary was carefully looking into whether laws on deadly weapons needed to be made stricter.

Personal Life

Dan Jarvis met his first wife, Caroline, in 2000. They had two children together. Caroline was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 and sadly passed away in July 2010 at the age of 43. In 2013, Jarvis married Rachel Jarvis, a graphic designer, and they also have a child.

Jarvis is also an author. His book, A Long Way Home, was published in 2020. It tells the story of his time in the British Army and how he coped with his first wife's illness and death. The book won the Best Memoir award at the Parliamentary Book Awards in 2020. He has also run the London Marathon since 2010.

Honours and Awards

Dan Jarvis has received several honors for his service:

	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

Images for kids

• 

  Jarvis in 2011 during the Barnsley by-election