Jo Johnson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Lord Johnson of Marylebone PC
Official portrait, 2024
Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation
In office 24 July 2019 – 5 September 2019
Prime Minister	Boris Johnson
Preceded by	Chris Skidmore
Succeeded by	Chris Skidmore
In office 11 May 2015 – 9 January 2018
Prime Minister	David Cameron Theresa May
Preceded by	Greg Clark
Succeeded by	Sam Gyimah
Minister for London
In office 9 January 2018 – 9 November 2018
Prime Minister	Theresa May
Preceded by	Greg Hands
Succeeded by	Nick Hurd
Minister of State for Transport
In office 9 January 2018 – 9 November 2018
Prime Minister	Theresa May
Preceded by	John Hayes
Succeeded by	Jesse Norman
Minister of State at the Cabinet Office
In office 15 July 2014 – 11 May 2015
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	Greg Clark
Succeeded by	Chris Skidmore
Director of the Number 10 Policy Unit
In office 25 April 2013 – 21 May 2015
Prime Minister	David Cameron
Preceded by	Nick Pearce
Succeeded by	Camilla Cavendish
Parliamentary offices Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal Life Peerage 29 October 2020 Member of Parliament for Orpington In office 6 May 2010 – 6 November 2019 Preceded by John Horam Succeeded by Gareth Bacon
Personal details
Born	Joseph Edmund Johnson (1971-12-23) 23 December 1971 (age 53) London, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Amelia Gentleman ​ (m. 2005)​
Children	2
Parents	Stanley Johnson (father) Charlotte Fawcett (mother)
Relatives	Boris Johnson (brother) Rachel Johnson (sister) Julia Johnson (half-sister) Carrie Symonds (sister-in-law) David Gentleman (father-in-law) James Fawcett (grandfather) Edmund Fawcett (uncle) Ali Kemal (great grandfather) Elias Avery Lowe (great grandfather) Helen Tracy Lowe-Porter (great grandmother) Pfeffel family (ancestors)
Education	Balliol College, Oxford (BA) Université libre de Bruxelles INSEAD (MBA)

Joseph Edmund Johnson, Baron Johnson of Marylebone, born on 23 December 1971, is a British politician. He served as a Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation from 2015 to 2018, and again in 2019. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Orpington from 2010 to 2019.

He is a member of the Conservative Party. Currently, he is a member of the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament. His older brother, Boris Johnson, was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022.

Jo Johnson was appointed to lead the Number 10 Policy Unit in 2013 by Prime Minister David Cameron. He became a Minister in the Cabinet Office in 2014 and the Universities Minister in 2015. In 2018, he also served as Minister of State for Transport and Minister for London. He resigned in November 2018 due to concerns about the Brexit negotiations.

In July 2019, he rejoined the government as a Minister in his brother's Cabinet. However, he resigned again in September 2019 and announced he would step down as an MP. In 2020, he became a member of the House of Lords. He now chairs the House of Lords Select Committee on Education for 11-16 year olds.

Since leaving government, Johnson has focused on how technology can help more people access education. He is involved with several educational organizations, including Tes, Access Creative College, and FutureLearn. He also works as a journalist for publications like the Financial Times.

Early Life and Education

Family Background

Jo Johnson was born in London. He is the youngest of four children. His father, Stanley Johnson, was a former Member of the European Parliament (MEP). His mother, Charlotte Johnson Wahl, was an artist.

His siblings include Boris Johnson, who was a former Prime Minister, and Rachel Johnson, who is a journalist.

School and University

Johnson attended several schools, including the European School in Brussels, The Hall School, Ashdown House School, and Eton College. In 1991, he went to Balliol College, Oxford, where he studied Modern History. He achieved excellent results in his studies.

Career in Journalism

After finishing his studies at the Université libre de Bruxelles, Johnson worked as an investment banker for a short time. In 1997, he changed careers and joined the Financial Times, a major newspaper.

He worked as a correspondent in Paris and then as a bureau chief in New Delhi, India. Later, he became an associate editor and led the "Lex Column," an important section about finance. He received awards for his journalism.

Johnson also wrote books, including The Man Who Tried To Buy the World (2003) and co-edited Reconnecting Britain and India: Ideas for an Enhanced Partnership (2011). He often spoke on radio and television about India's growth and financial topics.

Political Career

Becoming an MP

In 2009, Jo Johnson was chosen to be the Conservative candidate for the Orpington area in London. In the 2010 general election, he won the seat, becoming a Member of Parliament (MP). He increased his majority in the 2015 and 2017 general elections.

Leading the Policy Unit

In 2013, Prime Minister David Cameron appointed Johnson to lead the Number 10 Policy Unit. This team helps the Prime Minister develop new ideas and plans for the government. He also chaired a new advisory board for Conservative MPs.

Minister for Universities and Science

In May 2015, Johnson became the Minister for Universities and Science. In this role, he introduced the Higher Education and Research Act 2017. This law changed how universities in England are regulated. It created the Office for Students to oversee teaching quality and student results. It also set up UK Research and Innovation to manage research funding.

Minister of Transport

In January 2018, Johnson took on new roles as Minister of State for Transport and Minister for London. However, he resigned from these positions in November 2018. He stated that he was unhappy with the government's Brexit strategy and wanted a new public vote on the Brexit deal. He believed the deal was not what had been promised.

Role in Boris Johnson's Cabinet

In July 2019, Jo Johnson was reappointed as Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation. This meant he attended Cabinet meetings. The next day, he joined the Privy Council.

However, on 5 September 2019, he resigned again and announced he would not stand for re-election as an MP. He explained that he felt "torn between family and national interest."

Joining the House of Lords

On 31 July 2020, it was announced that Jo Johnson would become a member of the House of Lords. His older brother, Boris Johnson, who was Prime Minister at the time, helped arrange this. He officially became Baron Johnson of Marylebone on 29 October 2020. He gave his first speech in the House of Lords in March 2021.

Personal Life

Jo Johnson lives in London with his wife, Amelia Gentleman. She is a journalist for The Guardian. They have two children together.