Rebecca Long-Bailey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rebecca Long-Bailey
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Official portrait, 2017
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| Shadow Secretary of State for Education | |
| In office 6 April 2020 – 25 June 2020 |
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| Leader | Keir Starmer |
| Preceded by | Angela Rayner |
| Succeeded by | Kate Green |
| Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy | |
| In office 9 February 2017 – 6 April 2020 |
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| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Preceded by | Clive Lewis |
| Succeeded by | Ed Miliband |
| Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 27 June 2016 – 9 February 2017 |
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| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Preceded by | Seema Malhotra |
| Succeeded by | Peter Dowd |
| Shadow Minister for the Treasury | |
| In office 18 September 2015 – 27 June 2016 |
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| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Member of Parliament for Salford Salford and Eccles (2015–2024) |
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| Assumed office 7 May 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Hazel Blears |
| Majority | 15,101 (38.0%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Rebecca Roseanne Long
22 September 1979 Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Other political affiliations |
Independent (2024–2025) Socialist Campaign Group |
| Spouse | Stephen Bailey |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | Manchester Metropolitan University |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Solicitor |
Rebecca Roseanne Long-Bailey (born 22 September 1979) is a British politician and solicitor (a type of lawyer). She is a member of the Labour Party. Since 2015, she has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of Salford in Greater Manchester.
As an MP, she has held important roles in the Shadow Cabinet. This is a team of politicians from the main opposition party who "shadow" the government's ministers. Under leader Jeremy Corbyn, she was the Shadow Business Secretary. Later, under leader Keir Starmer, she briefly served as the Shadow Education Secretary.
In 2020, Long-Bailey ran to become the leader of the Labour Party. She came in second place to Keir Starmer.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Rebecca Long was born in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, on 22 September 1979. Her father, Jimmy, worked as a docker, and her mother, Una, was a shop worker. She grew up in the area and went to Chester Catholic High School.
Her first job was at a pawn shop. She said this job taught her a lot about the financial struggles people face. She also had jobs in call centres, a furniture factory, and as a postal worker.
Later, she went to Manchester Metropolitan University to study Politics and Sociology. After university, she trained to become a solicitor. She worked for different law firms, often helping with cases related to the NHS. She officially became a solicitor in 2007.
Long-Bailey joined the Labour Party in 2010. She said she was inspired to get into politics after seeing plans that she felt could harm the NHS.
Career in Parliament
In the 2015 general election, Rebecca Long-Bailey was elected as the MP for Salford and Eccles. She won with a large number of votes.
Working with Jeremy Corbyn
After Jeremy Corbyn became the leader of the Labour Party in 2015, he gave Long-Bailey a job as a shadow minister for the Treasury. The Treasury is the part of the government that manages the country's money.
In 2016, she was promoted to Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury. A year later, in 2017, she became the Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. This meant she was the Labour Party's main spokesperson on issues like business and the environment.
In the 2017 general election, she was re-elected as an MP with an even bigger majority. In 2019, she helped write the Labour Party's manifesto, which is a document that outlines a party's plans if they win an election.
2020 Leadership Election
After the Labour Party lost the 2019 general election, Jeremy Corbyn announced he would step down as leader. In January 2020, Long-Bailey announced she would run to replace him.
Many people saw her as the "continuity" candidate, meaning she would continue with policies similar to Corbyn's. She received support from many local Labour Party groups and large trade unions.
The election took place among Labour Party members. Long-Bailey finished in second place with over 135,000 votes. Keir Starmer won the election and became the new leader.
Working with Keir Starmer
After becoming leader, Keir Starmer appointed Long-Bailey as the Shadow Secretary of State for Education in April 2020. This was during the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools were closed. Long-Bailey supported teachers' unions who had concerns about reopening schools too quickly without safety measures.
In June 2020, Starmer removed Long-Bailey from the Shadow Cabinet. This happened after she shared an article on Twitter that contained a claim that was later corrected. Long-Bailey said she did not agree with everything in the article but was asked to delete her tweet. She said she wanted to discuss it with Starmer first, but he had already made his decision to dismiss her.
In July 2024, Long-Bailey and six other Labour MPs voted against their party on a proposal about government benefits for families. Because they broke the party's rules, they were suspended from the Labour Party for six months. This meant they had to sit in Parliament as Independents. Her suspension ended in January 2025.
Political Views
Long-Bailey's political views are often described as being on the left wing of the Labour Party.
- The Economy: She supports a "wealth tax" on very rich people to help pay for public services like schools and hospitals.
- The Environment: She is a strong supporter of a Green New Deal. This is a plan to create jobs in green industries, like renewable energy, to fight climate change.
- Government Reform: She believes the House of Lords, the second chamber of the UK Parliament, should be replaced. She suggests a new chamber where members are elected, not appointed.
- Workers' Rights: She has said she would support workers in all strikes and industrial disputes.
- Social Issues: She has voted in favour of same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland and supports a woman's right to choose. She also signed a pledge to support the rights of transgender people.
Personal Life
Rebecca Long-Bailey is married to Stephen Bailey, who works in marketing. They have one son. She is a Roman Catholic but has said she does not agree with all of the Church's official positions.
See also
In Spanish: Rebecca Long-Bailey para niños
