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Andrea Jenkyns

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This article is about the British politician. For the American politician, see Andrea Jenkins.

Dame
Andrea Jenkyns
DBE
Official portrait, 2020
Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 May 2025
Preceded byOffice established
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills[a]
In office
9 July 2022 – 25 October 2022
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Liz Truss
Preceded byMichelle Donelan[b]
Succeeded byRobert Halfon
Member of Parliament
for Morley and Outwood
In office
7 May 2015 – 30 May 2024
Preceded byEd Balls
Succeeded byConstituency abolished
Member of Lincolnshire County Council
for Boston North West
In office
4 June 2009 – 2 May 2013
Preceded byAndrew Bakewell
Succeeded byTiggs Keywood-Wainwright
Personal details
Born (1974-06-16) 16 June 1974 (age 50)
Beverley, Humberside, England
Political partyReform UK (from 2024)
Other political
affiliations		Conservative (until 2024)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2017, divorced)​
Children1
Residence(s)London, England
Alma materUniversity of Lincoln (BA)
Open University (Dip)
WebsiteOfficial website

Dame Andrea Marie Jenkyns DBE (born 16 June 1974) is a British politician who has been the Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire since May 2025. A member of the Reform UK party, she was previously the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Morley and Outwood in West Yorkshire, England from 2015 to June 2024.

Jenkyns was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Morley and Outwood at the 2015 general election, defeating Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls.[2][3] She was an advocate for the Eurosceptic organisation Leave Means Leave and a strong critic of Theresa May's handling of Brexit during her leadership of the Conservative Party.[4][5] Jenkyns served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills from July to October 2022, as part of the governments of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. She was later dismissed by the following Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. She failed to win re-election to the successor seat of Leeds South West and Morley at the 2024 general election.[6]

Jenkyns was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2023 in the Resignation Honours List of former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

She left the Conservative Party for Reform UK in November 2024, announcing her candidacy for Reform in the 2025 election for the newly created Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire.[7]

Early life

Jenkyns was born on 16 June 1974[8] in Beverley, Humberside.[citation needed] After leaving school at 16, she worked at the Greggs bakery.[9] When she was 18, Jenkyns' father sent her photo off to a beauty pageant, and she eventually reached the final of Miss UK.[10] In her late thirties, Jenkyns studied for a diploma in economics from the Open University before studying for a degree in international relations from the University of Lincoln.[11][12]

Jenkyns is a former member of Lincolnshire County Council for Boston North West.[13]

Parliamentary career

Following an open primary in 2013, Jenkyns was selected to contest the Morley and Outwood parliamentary seat as the Conservative candidate.[14] In the 2015 general election, she was elected with a slim majority of 422 votes, unseating Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Ed Balls.[14][15] From July 2015, she sat on the Health Select Committee.

Jenkyns supported Brexit in the 2016 EU membership referendum[16] and was a member of the Exiting the European Union Select Committee from 2016 to 2019.[17] Jenkyns stated that she was willing to vote against the government if it brought forward to the House of Commons the Chequers plan on Brexit.[18]

In the 2017 general election, Jenkyns increased her vote share by 11.8%, though only increased her majority to 2,104 as Labour's vote share also increased. Both were helped by the lack of a UKIP candidate in her constituency.[19]

Jenkyns is a Trustee and the voluntary Regional Representative for the charity MRSA Action UK, having joined following the death of her father from MRSA.[20][11]

In May 2018, Jenkyns quit her role as a PPS in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in order to focus on fighting for Brexit.[21] In July 2018, after David Davis resigned from the Cabinet, Jenkyns called for the Prime Minister Theresa May to be replaced, saying: "Theresa May's premiership is over."[22][23] Jenkyns called on May to return to her Lancaster House speech, stating "Prime Ministers keep their jobs when they keep their promises".[24]

She submitted a formal letter to the 1922 Committee requesting a vote of no confidence in Theresa May as leader of the Conservative Party; at that time letters from 48 MPs were required to trigger a vote of no confidence.[25] Following this, Iain Dale put her on his annual Top 100 Most Influential Conservatives of 2018 List.[26]

In May 2019, Jenkyns received media attention for her appearance on the BBC's Politics Live show, as she was unable to name any countries that trade solely with the EU using World Trade Organization (WTO) terms.[27]

Jenkyns has received a number of death threats, largely as a result of her stance on Brexit.[28] In 2018, she received a threatening and sexually explicit email calling for her to be cut with barbed wire and die.[28] In the summer of 2019, a person was taken to court for threatening to "rip" her face off.[28] In October 2019 she discovered graffiti on the wall of her office calling for her to kill herself.[28]

In October 2019, Jenkyns stated her opposition to Britain's sugary drink tax, arguing instead for "better education, better labelling [and] parental responsibility".[29]

In November 2019, Jenkyns received a campaign donation declared at £2,000 from the Brexit advocate and Leave.EU funder Arron Banks.[30] Banks was barred from membership of the Conservative Party at the time, on the grounds that he had advocated entryism.[30]

Jenkyns held her seat at the 2019 general election with an increased majority of 11,267.[15] Jenkyns said she had experienced a considerable amount of abuse and intimidation during the campaign.[31] After the election, she was elected Vice-Chair of the European Research Group, replacing Steve Baker, who became the Chair.[32]

In February 2020, Jenkyns defended her decision to provide a character reference for the court case of a Conservative Party activist who made violent threats to Labour MP Yvette Cooper and was subsequently jailed for nine weeks. The statement described the activist as a "decent and honest person whose heart is in the right place". Jenkyns said that the activist had mental health issues and she wanted his emotional and mental well-being to be taken into consideration as part of the judicial process.[33]

On 17 September 2021, Jenkyns was appointed an Assistant Government Whip in the second cabinet reshuffle of the second Johnson ministry.[34]

In July 2022, Jenkyns was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Education.[35] On the way to attending Boris Johnson's resignation speech in Downing Street, Jenkyns was filmed making a "middle finger" gesture at protesters.[36] Jenkyns said she made the gesture after being provoked by a "baying mob", stating she had received "huge amounts of abuse from some of the people who were there over the years". She said she should have shown more composure "but is only human". Her gesture was criticised by teaching representatives and by Conservative MPs Mark Spencer and George Freeman.[37] On 12 July 2022, her portfolio was confirmed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills, Further and Higher Education.

Jenkyns endorsed Liz Truss in the July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.[38] She was reappointed a minister by Truss when Truss became prime minister in September 2022,[39] but left her role when Rishi Sunak replaced Truss 49 days later.[40]

Following the November 2023 British cabinet reshuffle, Jenkyns submitted a public letter of no confidence in Sunak.[41]

Jenkyns lost her seat in parliament in the general election of 4 July 2024, receiving 9,258 votes against Labour's Mark Sewards with 17,681.[42]

Post-Parliamentary career

On 20 September 2024, Jenkyns posted on X from the Reform UK party conference, "I'm a former Tory MP, I'm not defecting. I'm on a press pass and I'm keen to find out what it's all about. Is this the true home of conservatism and why have we lost so many members to the Reform party."[43][better source needed]

On 28 November 2024, Jenkyns announced that she had left the Conservative Party and joined Reform UK, at a press conference with leader Nigel Farage, and would stand as the Reform candidate for the new mayorship of Greater Lincolnshire.[44][45][46]

During the election campaign, a formal complaint was lodged with the Electoral Commission that Jenkyns did not meet the residence requirement to be a registered voter in Lincolnshire and that she was therefore ineligible to be a candidate. A hearing was due to be held prior to the 1 May election day.[47] On 25 April, the allegations were dismissed.[48]

Jenkyns won the election with 42% of the vote.[49][50]

Electoral history

General election 2015: Morley and Outwood[51][52]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrea Jenkyns 18,776 38.9 +3.6
Labour Co-op Ed Balls 18,354 38.0 +0.4
UKIP David Dews 7,951 16.5 +13.4
Liberal Democrats Rebecca Taylor 1,426 3.0 −13.8
Green Martin Hemingway 1,264 2.6 New
Yorkshire First Arnie Craven 479 1.0 New
Majority 422 0.9 N/A
Turnout 48,250 63.3 −2.5
Conservative gain from Labour Co-op Swing +1.6
Jenkyns 2017 official portrait
General election 2017: Morley and Outwood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrea Jenkyns 26,550 50.7 +11.8
Labour Co-op Neil Dawson 24,446 46.7 +8.7
Liberal Democrats Craig Dobson 1,361 2.6 −0.4
Majority 2,104 4.0 +3.1
Turnout 52,357 68.0 +4.7
Conservative hold Swing +1.6
General election 2019: Morley and Outwood[53]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrea Jenkyns 29,424 56.7 +6.0
Labour Deanne Ferguson 18,157 35.0 −11.7
Liberal Democrats Craig Dobson 2,285 4.4 +1.8
Green Chris Bell 1,107 2.1 New
Yorkshire Dan Woodlock 957 1.8 New
Majority 11,267 21.7 +17.7
Turnout 51,930 65.9 −2.1
Conservative hold Swing +8.8
General election 2024: Leeds South West and Morley [54][55]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mark Sewards 17,681 44.0 +7.2
Conservative Andrea Jenkyns 9,258 23.0 −30.1
Reform UK James Kendall 8,187 20.4 +18.6
Green Chris Bell 2,522 6.3 +3.0
Liberal Democrats Michael Fox 1,798 4.5 +1.7
Yorkshire Howard Graham Dews 664 1.7 −0.5
SDP Nigel Perry 99 0.2 N/A
Majority 8,423 21.0 N/A
Turnout 40,209 56.0 −5.1
Registered electors 71,854
Labour gain from Conservative Swing Increase18.7
2025 Greater Lincolnshire mayoral election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform UK Andrea Jenkyns 104,133 42.0 N/A
Conservative Rob Waltham 64,585 26.1 N/A
Labour Jason Stockwood 30,384 12.3 N/A
Lincolnshire Independent Marianne Overton 19,911 8.0 N/A
Green Sally Horscroft 15,040 6.1 'N/A
Liberal Democrats Trevor Young 13,728 5.5 N/A
Majority 39,548 15.9 N/A
Turnout 249,792 30.15 N/A
Registered electors 828,613
Reform UK win (new seat)

Personal life

In March 2024, Jenkyns stated on GB News that she had been targeted with abusive emails, with the most recent threatening her six-year-old son. The police have been advising her on improved security and are investigating the source of the anonymous communication.[56]

In April 2024, she announced via Twitter that she and Jack Lopresti had divorced.[57]

Jenkyns suffers from fibromyalgia and glossopharyngeal neuralgia which cause bouts of debilitating pain.[58] She also has ADHD.[59]

She also supports keeping the ban on fox hunting.[11] In 2015, her dogs Lady and Godiva won top prize in the Westminster Dog of the Year show.[60]

Jenkyns is also an amateur soprano singer.[61]

Honours

Jenkyns was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 9 June 2023 as part of the 2022 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours,[62][63] the honours awarded following the September 2022 resignation of Boris Johnson.

Notes

  1. ^ Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Skills, Further and Higher Education July to September 2022.
  2. ^ As Minister of State for Higher and Further Education. She assumed responsibilities for Skills from Alex Burghart.[1]

References

  1. ^ "Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Skills) – GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  2. ^ "Elections 2015 – Morley & Outwood". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  3. ^ "Andrea Jenkyns: About the woman who toppled Ed Balls". ITV News. 8 May 2015. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Co-Chairmen – Political Advisory Board – Supporters". Leave Means Leave. Archived from the original on 24 October 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Andrea Jenkyns is a long-standing critic of the prime minister". Sky News. 8 May 2019. Archived from the original on 27 June 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Leeds South West and Morley – General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Former Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns joins Reform UK". BBC News. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
  8. ^ @andreajenkyns (16 June 2024). "Thinking of my amazing Dad on Fathers Day as I celebrate my 50th birthday..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ Robson, Steve (3 May 2025). "Why Andrea Jenkyns's success is a risk for Farage". The i Paper.
  10. ^ Scott, Caroline (20 March 2016). "Relative Values: Andrea Jenkyns, Tory MP, and her mum, Valerie". TheTimes. Archived from the original on 27 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  11. ^ a b c Whale, Sebastian (29 May 2015). "Andrea Jenkyns: 'There's not much that really floors me'". Totalpolitics.com. Archived from the original on 19 April 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  12. ^ Nevett, Joshua (2 May 2025). "Andrea Jenkyns: First Reform UK mayor has knack for bouncing back". BBC News.
  13. ^ "Former Boston councillor Andrea Jenkyns and new husband 'nicknamed son Brexit Clifford the day he was born'". Lincolnshire World. 4 January 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  14. ^ a b Bloom, Dan (8 May 2015). "Andrea Jenkyns ousts Ed Balls: Everything you need to know about Tory who defeated Labour giant". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  15. ^ a b "Morley & Outwood parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". Archived from the original on 28 April 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  16. ^ "Which Tory MPs back Brexit, who doesn't and who is still on the fence?". Blogs.spectator.co.uk. 16 February 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  17. ^ "Michael Gove lands key role overseeing Brexit". Sky News. 26 October 2016. Archived from the original on 28 April 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
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  19. ^ "Labour gain in Leeds as student vote and 'Corbyn effect' topples long serving Lib Dem". Yorkshire Evening Post. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 13 June 2017. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  20. ^ "Andrea Jenkyns". Morley and Outwood Website. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  21. ^ "Aide quits government 'to fight for Brexit'". BBC News. 25 May 2018. Archived from the original on 7 June 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  22. ^ "Top Brexit Officials Resign in Blow to Theresa May". New York Daily Intelligencer. 9 July 2017. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  23. ^ "May to fight any leadership challenge after resignations". Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTE). 9 July 2017. Archived from the original on 9 July 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  24. ^ "May urged to 'chuck Chequers' by Tory Brexiteers". Shropshire Star. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  25. ^ McCann, Kate (13 July 2018). "Conservative MPs asked to withdraw letters demanding a vote of confidence in Theresa May". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  26. ^ "The Top 100 Most Influential Conservatives of 2018". Iaindale.com. October 2018. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  27. ^ "Brexiteer Andrea Jenkyns unable to name countries that trade solely with EU on WTO rules". inews.co.uk. 21 May 2019. Archived from the original on 23 September 2019. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  28. ^ a b c d "Andrea Jenkyns MP told to 'just kill herself' in office graffiti". Wakefield Express. 4 October 2019. Archived from the original on 5 October 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  29. ^ "Two Yorkshire MPs hit out at the 'nanny state' they say is stripping away individual choice and responsibility". Yorkshire Post. 2 October 2019. Archived from the original on 4 October 2019. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  30. ^ a b "Arron Banks donated £2,000 to Tory Andrea Jenkyns's campaign". The Guardian. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
  31. ^ Criddle, Cristina; Ktena, Natalie; Close, Emma (21 December 2019). "'Abuse on the campaign trail doesn't shock me any more'". Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  32. ^ "Andrea Jenkyns made second in command of influential European Research Group". Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  33. ^ Duffy, Nick (7 February 2020). "Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns defends giving character reference to activist jailed for violent Brexit threats". inews. Archived from the original on 9 July 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  34. ^ "Ministerial appointments: September 2021". 16 September 2021. Archived from the original on 12 March 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  35. ^ "Andrea Jenkyns: Minister says she raised her middle finger because of a 'baying mob'". BBC News. 9 July 2022.
  36. ^ "Tory MP who gave Boris protesters the middle finger is made education minister". The National. 8 July 2022. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  37. ^ MacSwan, Anna (9 July 2022). "Tory MP says she made rude gesture after being provoked by 'baying mob'". The Guardian.
  38. ^ "Full list: Tory endorsements for next leader". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  39. ^ "Ministerial Appointments: September 2022". GOV.UK. 10 October 2022.
  40. ^ "Andrea Jenkyns MP". gov.uk. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  41. ^ Cowburn, Ashley (13 November 2023). "Rishi Sunak faces revolt as Tory MP delivers brutal warning in letter of no confidence". The Mirror. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  42. ^ "Leeds South West and Morley – General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  43. ^ Nicholson, Kate (25 April 2025). "Andrea Jenkyns Could Be Reform UK's First Mayor – Here Are Her Most Unforgettable Moments". HuffPost. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  44. ^ Rogers, Alexandra (28 November 2024). "Dame Andrea Jenkyns: Former Tory minister joins Reform UK". Sky News.
  45. ^ "Former Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns joins Reform UK". BBC News. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  46. ^ "Former Tory MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns joins Reform UK". The Independent. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
  47. ^ Edwards, Sharon (23 April 2025). "Reform UK candidate challenged over right to stand". BBC News. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  48. ^ "Eligibility case against Reform candidate dismissed". BBC News. 25 April 2025. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  49. ^ "Reform's Andrea Jenkyns elected Lincolnshire mayor". BBC News. 2 May 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  50. ^ "Reform UK's Andrea Jenkyns becomes Greater Lincolnshire's first-ever mayor". LBC. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  51. ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  52. ^ "Morley & Outwood". BBC News. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  53. ^ "Morley & Outwood Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 4 December 2019.
  54. ^ "Statement of persons nominated". Leeds City Council. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  55. ^ "Leeds South West and Morley results". BBC News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  56. ^ "Dame Andrea Jenkyns MP stands up against threats against her children | 'They WON'T silence me!'". YouTube. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
  57. ^ @AndreaJenkins (16 April 2024). "This is complete rubbish, and there is nothing to see here, I am divorced!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  58. ^ Singh, Arj (16 June 2018). "Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns 'cannot remember a day without pain' in 15 years". Yorkshire Post. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  59. ^ McGuinness, Ross (14 November 2023). "Tory MP defends 'embarrassingly poor' no confidence letter after grammar criticism".
  60. ^ Bloom, Dan (29 October 2015). "The Tories have triumphed in a public vote – at this adorable dog contest". Mirror.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  61. ^ Wilkinson, Michael (29 December 2015). "Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns, who admitted she is dating married MP, releases charity music single". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  62. ^ "Resignation Honours 2023" (PDF). GOV.UK. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  63. ^ "No. 64120". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 July 2023. p. 14503.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Morley and Outwood
2015–2024 		Constituency abolished
Political offices
New office Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire
2025–present 		Incumbent
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