Jonathan Reynolds facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jonathan Reynolds MP
Official portrait, 2024
Secretary of State for Business and Trade President of the Board of Trade
Incumbent
Assumed office 5 July 2024
Prime Minister	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Kemi Badenoch
Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
In office 29 November 2021 – 5 July 2024
Leader	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Ed Miliband
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
In office 6 April 2020 – 29 November 2021
Leader	Keir Starmer
Preceded by	Margaret Greenwood
Succeeded by	Jonathan Ashworth
Shadow Economic Secretary to the Treasury
In office 8 October 2016 – 6 April 2020
Leader	Jeremy Corbyn
Preceded by	Richard Burgon
Succeeded by	Pat McFadden
Shadow Minister for Rail
In office 14 September 2015 – 6 January 2016
Leader	Jeremy Corbyn
Preceded by	Lilian Greenwood
Succeeded by	Andy McDonald
Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change
In office 7 October 2013 – 18 September 2015
Leader	Ed Miliband
Member of Parliament for Stalybridge and Hyde
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 May 2010
Preceded by	James Purnell
Majority	2,946 (7.0%)
Member of Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council for Longdendale
In office 4 May 2007 – 5 May 2011
Preceded by	Peter Bibby
Succeeded by	Gillian Peet
Personal details
Born	(1980-08-28) 28 August 1980 (age 43) Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear, England
Political party	Labour Co-op
Spouse	Claire Johnston
Children	4
Residences	Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, England
Alma mater	University of Manchester BPP Law School
Profession	Solicitor

Jonathan Neil Reynolds (born 28 August 1980) is a British Labour Co-op politician who has also been Member of Parliament (MP) for Stalybridge and Hyde since 2010. He has served as Secretary of State for Business and Trade since July 2024.

Reynolds served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition and a Shadow Energy and Climate Change Minister from 2013 to 2015. He was a Shadow Transport Minister from 2015 to 2016 and a Shadow Treasury Minister from 2016 until 2020. He was Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from 2020 to 2021, and has been a front bench representative on the Labour National Executive Committee since 2020.

Early life and career

Jonathan Reynolds was born on 28 August 1980 in Houghton-le-Spring to Keith and Judith Reynolds. He moved to Manchester in 1998, studying Politics and Modern History at the University of Manchester and BPP Law School (Manchester). After leaving university Reynolds worked for the council and (former MP) James Purnell, before beginning training as a solicitor. Reynolds served on Labour's National Executive Committee from 2003 to 2005. In 2007, he was elected to Tameside Council for the ward of Longdendale.

Reynolds worked for four years as a political assistant for the previous Stalybridge and Hyde MP James Purnell and was selected to replace Purnell after a controversial selection process. Reynolds is a member of the Co-operative Party and Unite the Union.

Parliamentary career

At the 2010 general election, Reynolds was elected as MP for Stalybridge and Hyde with 39.6% of the vote and a majority of 2,744. In 2011 Reynolds stood down as a councillor. Once elected as an MP he did not claim Councillor Allowances. In July 2013, Reynolds publicly called for the resignation of Tameside Hospital's Chief Executive, Christine Green.

Miliband shadow cabinet

Under Ed Miliband, Reynolds was appointed Shadow Justice and Constitutional Affairs Whip. He was later appointed Miliband's Parliamentary Private Secretary and Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change. As Shadow Energy Minister, he focused on fuel poverty, energy efficiency, and solar energy. At the 2015 general election, Reynolds was re-elected as MP for Stalybridge and Hyde with an increased vote share of 45% and an increased majority of 6,686.

Corbyn shadow cabinet

After Jeremy Corbyn was elected to the leadership of the Labour Party in September 2015, Reynolds was made a Shadow Minister for Transport with responsibility for rail. He resigned the position following Jeremy Corbyn's January 2016 reshuffle, saying he felt he could "best serve the party as a backbencher" and expressing his support for the sacked Pat McFadden. He supported Owen Smith in the 2016 Labour leadership election. Following the re-election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party, he was re-appointed to the shadow front bench as Shadow City Minister.

In December 2015, Reynolds introduced a Private Member's Bill which would have changed UK general elections from first-past-the-post to the additional-member system. Reynolds was appointed a member of the BIS Select Committee in 2016. He questioned Mike Ashley during the committee's inquiry into working practices at Sports Direct. In June 2016, Reynolds argued the Labour Party had not developed a credible "alternative economic model". He has argued in favour of an industrial policy and reforms to UK equity markets.

In his time as Shadow City Minister Reynolds spoke in support of a Brexit deal which is favourable to financial services. City A.M. Editor Christian May described him in November 2016 as "popular in the Square Mile and at home in the brief". At the snap 2017 general election, Reynolds was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 57.2% and an increased majority of 8,084. Reynolds is Chair of Christians on the Left, and also a vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel. Reynolds has identified as a Christian socialist.

At the 2019 general election, Reynolds was again re-elected, with a decreased vote share of 44.7% and a decreased majority of 2,946. Reynolds attended the 2024 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. In January 2024, Reynolds was re-selected as the Labour candidate for Stalybridge and Hyde at the 2024 general election.

Starmer shadow cabinet

Following the 2020 Labour Party leadership election, Keir Starmer Reynolds as the Shadow Secretary of Work and Pensions.

Following the September 2023 shadow cabinet reshuffle, he was appointed as Secretary of State for State for Business and Trade.

Reynolds focused on revitalising the country’s industrial strategy and addressing the economic challenges post-Brexit. Reynolds initiative was the launch of Labour’s industrial strategy, which aimed to tackle issues such as supply chain disruptions and workforce skills shortages, with an emphasis on delivering clean power and reducing carbon dependency by 2030 and leveraging for the launch of a state-owned energy company. Reynolds was a staunch advocate for the Green Prosperity Plan, which aimed to create a million new jobs through green investment which would guarantee economic benefits by achieving net zero emissions, including reduced energy costs and new jobs.

Reynolds was vocal about the inadequacies of government policy regarding energy regulation and criticised the government’s particularly handling of prepayment meter installations that adversely affected vulnerable customers. He proposed more stringent policies and better support for small businesses facing high energy costs. His relationship with key Labour frontbenchers, such as Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves and advocacy for green energy underscored Labour’s commitment to creating a green economy.

Secretary of State for Business and Trade (2024-present)

After the Labour Party’s landslide victory in the 2024 general election, Reynolds was appointed as Secretary of State for Business and Trade by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the ensuing formation of the new government.

Personal life

Reynolds lives in Stalybridge. He and his wife Claire Johnston have four children; his eldest son is autistic. Outside politics, his interests include supporting Sunderland A.F.C., films and gardening.