Jenny Chapman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Baroness Chapman of Darlington
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Chapman in 2021
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| Minister of State for International Development, Latin America and Caribbean |
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| Assumed office 28 February 2025 |
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| Prime Minister | Keir Starmer | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Anneliese Dodds (International Development) |
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| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Latin America and Caribbean |
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| In office 18 July 2024 – 28 February 2025 |
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| Prime Minister | Keir Starmer | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | David Rutley | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | herself as Minister of State | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Assumed office 1 March 2021 |
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| Member of Parliament for Darlington |
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| In office 6 May 2010 – 6 November 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Alan Milburn | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Peter Gibson | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Member of Darlington Council for Cockerton West |
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| In office 3 May 2007 – May 2010 |
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| Succeeded by | Jan Cossins | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 25 September 1973 Surrey, England |
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| Political party | Labour | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses |
Tony Chapman
(m. 2002–2014)Nick Smith
(m. 2014) |
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| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Brunel University (BSc) Durham University (MA) |
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Jennifer Chapman, also known as Baroness Chapman of Darlington (born 25 September 1973), is a British politician. She is a life peer, which means she holds a special title and a seat in the House of Lords for life. Since February 2025, she has served as the Minister of State for International Development, Latin America and Caribbean. This important role involves working with other countries on international projects and relationships.
Before this, she was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Latin America and Caribbean from July 2024 to February 2025. She also served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Darlington from 2010 to 2019, representing the Labour Party.
Chapman was also a political secretary to Keir Starmer, who is the leader of the Labour Party. From 2021 to 2023, she was a Shadow Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, working as part of the opposition team that reviewed the government's actions. In 2023, she became the Chancellor of Teesside University, a special role that represents the university.
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Early Life and Education
Jennifer Chapman was born in September 1973 in Surrey, England. When she was young, her family moved to Darlington. She attended Hummersknott School and Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College in Darlington.
She studied psychology at Brunel University, earning a degree in 1996. Psychology is the study of how people think and behave. Later, in 2004, she earned a master's degree in archaeology from Durham University. Archaeology is the study of human history by examining old sites and objects. While studying, she also spent time learning about how psychology is used in prisons to help people.
Political Career
Local Council Work
Before becoming an MP, Chapman worked for Alan Milburn, who was the Labour MP for Darlington at the time. After taking a break to raise her children, she returned to politics. In 2007, she was elected as a local councillor for the Cockerton West area on the Darlington Borough Council. In this role, she helped make decisions for her local community.
Serving in Parliament
In 2009, Jennifer Chapman was chosen to be the Labour Party's candidate for MP in Darlington. She won the election in 2010, becoming the MP for Darlington. After becoming an MP, she stepped down from her role as a local councillor.
In 2011, Chapman became a Shadow Minister for Prisons. In this role, she suggested ways to improve prisons, such as training prison officers to help inmates prepare to return to society. In 2016, she briefly served as Shadow Minister for Children and Early Years. She also supported the campaign for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union during the 2016 referendum.
Chapman lost her seat as MP for Darlington in the 2019 United Kingdom general election. After this, she helped Keir Starmer with his successful campaign to become the leader of the Labour Party in 2020. She then became his political secretary, advising him on important political matters.
House of Lords Role
In December 2020, it was announced that Jennifer Chapman would become a member of the House of Lords. In February 2021, she was given the title Baroness Chapman of Darlington. This made her a life peer, meaning she could serve in the House of Lords for the rest of her life.
In June 2021, she took on a new role as Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office. In this position, she worked as part of the opposition to review the government's work.
Since February 2025, Baroness Chapman has been the Minister of State for International Development, Latin America and Caribbean. This is a government role where she helps manage international aid and relationships with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. She also joined the Privy Council in May 2025, which is a group of senior advisors to the King.
Personal Life
Jennifer Chapman married fellow Labour MP Nick Smith in July 2014. She has two sons from an earlier marriage.
In August 2023, Baroness Chapman was named the new Chancellor of Teesside University. This is an important ceremonial role at the university.
