Dan Jarvis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Major The Right Honourable 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, East Midlands, 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 30 November 1972) is a British politician and former Army officer. He has been the Minister of State for Security since July 2024. He is also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Barnsley North since 2011. Before that, he was the Mayor of South Yorkshire from 2018 to 2022. Dan Jarvis was part of the Parachute Regiment in the British Army from 1997 to 2011.

Early Life and Education

Dan Jarvis was born in Nottingham, England, 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. Later, he studied international politics at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. He earned a degree in international politics and strategic studies in 1996. In 2011, he also got a master's degree in conflict, security, and development from King's College London.

Military Career

Dan Jarvis joined the British Army after training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1997. He became an officer in the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment. He was promoted to captain in 2001 and then to major in 2003.

He served in several important missions. In 1999, he was a platoon commander in Kosovo. He was present during a tense moment at Pristina Airport when a British general refused to confront Russian forces. Jarvis later described this as a "very surreal moment." He also served as a personal staff officer to the general.

Jarvis was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. 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 troops. He also served in Northern Ireland.

He left the army on 3 March 2011. For his service, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2011.

Early Political Career

Even though he was in the military, Dan Jarvis joined the Labour Party when he was 18. After leaving the army, he decided to become a politician.

In 2011, he was chosen as the Labour candidate for Barnsley Central. This happened after the previous MP resigned. Jarvis was not from Yorkshire, which was unusual for this area. He called his campaign "Operation Honey Badger," showing his strong determination. Some voters were unsure about him because he was from Nottingham, but he worked hard to win their support.

Jarvis in 2011 during the Barnsley by-election

Parliamentary Career

Member of Parliament

Dan Jarvis was elected as the MP for Barnsley Central on 3 March 2011. He won with a large share of the votes.

In his first speech in Parliament, he talked about the economy. He asked for policies to create jobs and help families. He also honored his army friends who had died and spoke about peace in Afghanistan. He joined a committee that looks at business and innovation.

In 2011, he became a shadow minister for arts. This meant he was part of the opposition team for culture and media. Later, he became the shadow minister for youth justice and victims in 2013.

After the 2015 election, some people thought he might run to lead the Labour Party. However, he decided not to, saying he needed to focus on his young family. He had recently remarried after his first wife passed away.

In 2015, he voted for military action against ISIL in Syria. He believed it was necessary to stop them. He had previously opposed military action against the Syrian government in 2013.

During the 2016 vote on leaving the European Union, Jarvis supported staying in. However, his local area voted strongly to leave. He then voted to start the process of leaving the EU, saying he respected his constituents' wishes.

Jarvis in 2017

Shadow Minister for Security

In 2023, Dan Jarvis was appointed as the Shadow Minister for Security. This means he is part of the opposition team that focuses on national security issues.

Mayor of South Yorkshire (2018–2022)

Becoming Mayor

In 2018, Dan Jarvis was elected as the first directly elected Mayor of South Yorkshire. He won the election with a good number of votes. He was allowed to hold both his MP role and the Mayor role at the same time.

He decided not to run for re-election as Mayor in 2022, choosing to remain an MP.

Helping the Economy

As Mayor, Jarvis worked on plans to improve the economy and social life in South Yorkshire. One big plan was the Strategic Economic Plan. This was a 20-year guide to create a stronger, greener, and fairer economy. It aimed to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040. It also focused on creating good jobs and reducing differences in income.

He also worked to improve education and skills. He supported the Sheffield Children's University. This program encouraged children, especially from poorer backgrounds, to join extra activities. The goal was to help them learn more and get better school results.

Jarvis also helped with poverty and welfare. He supported food banks and worked with charities to prevent food shortages. He also set up a panel to use co-operative ideas to improve local policies and public transport.

Tackling Climate Change

Jarvis also focused on the environment. In 2019, he declared a Climate Emergency for the region. He set a goal for South Yorkshire to have net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. This was ten years earlier than the national target. To achieve this, he introduced an Energy Strategy in 2020. This plan aimed to make the region's energy system cleaner.

Improving Transport

Jarvis pushed for new transport projects. The "Connecting Sheffield" project aimed to make walking and cycling easier. This £50 million project was designed 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. This plan aimed for a £39 billion investment to improve train connections across Northern England. His goal was to make travel faster and boost the economy between major northern cities.

Responding to COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jarvis helped lead the region's response. He set up the South Yorkshire COVID-19 Response Group. This group brought together local businesses, universities, and community groups. They worked to help the economy and society recover from the pandemic. He also supported the Kickstart scheme, which created job opportunities for young people.

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

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 in July 2024. This is a senior role in the government.

Following a tragic crossbow attack in Bushey, Jarvis spoke about the incident. He called it "devastating" and offered his sympathy to the victims' families. He said it was fair to question current laws on weapons. He also stated that ministers would act quickly if laws needed to be changed.

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 2010. In 2013, Jarvis married Rachel Jarvis, a graphic designer, and they have a child together.

Jarvis is also an author. His book, A Long Way Home, was published in 2020. It talks about his time in the British Army and how he dealt with his first wife's illness and death. The book won an award in 2020.

He has also run the London Marathon several times since 2010.

Honours

	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