Jenny Willott

http://www.libdems.org.uk/jenny_willott

Jenny Willott MP
Assistant Government Whip

Jenny Willott has been the Liberal Democrat MP for Cardiff Central since 2005.

She went to Wimbledon High School and Uppingham School before studying Classics at Durham University and doing an MSc (Econ) at LSE.

After graduating Jenny worked both in politics and for charities. She worked for the Liberal Democrats in the Welsh Assembly and in Parliament, including as the chief researcher to Lembit Opik MP. She has also worked for Barnardo's, Unicef UK, for a charity in Northern India, and was head of Victim Support South Wales immediately before becoming an MP.

Jenny joined the Liberal Democrats in 1994, but was active for many years before that as a child leaflet deliverer! She is married with 2 children (who are also already experienced leafleteers, despite both being under 4 years old).

Parliamentary Experience
Since becoming an MP Jenny has served as Opposition Deputy Chief Whip and Ministry of Justice spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats. In June 2008 she was made Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions before being appointed Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. After the 2010 election Jenny was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and Co-Chair of the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Party Committee on Work and Pensions, until she was appointed Assistant Government Whip in February 2012. Since December 2013 Jenny has also been made Minister for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs and Women and Equalities Minister, covering Jo Swinson MP’s maternity leave.

Her particular areas of interest include work and pensions, crime, human rights, environmental and international development issues.