I grew up on a council estate in the North Wales village of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, on the Isle of Anglesey.
My father was a welder who experienced periods of long-term unemployment, while my mother worked in a local newsagent. Those early experiences gave me a strong sense of community, an understanding of the pressures many families face and a determination to work hard and make a difference.
After completing my A-levels, I joined the Department of Social Security. However, I had always been drawn to fundraising and voluntary work, and in 1994 I began what became a long career in the charity sector.
I worked for the British Heart Foundation, Hope House Children’s Hospice and East Lancashire Hospice before becoming Fundraising Manager at Martin House Children’s Hospice. There, I led a team responsible for raising £4 million each year to support children with life-limiting conditions and their families.
Working alongside those families was both humbling and inspiring. It taught me the importance of listening, treating people with compassion and working persistently on their behalf. Those principles have remained central to the way I approach public service.
My involvement in politics grew naturally from my work in the community. In 2003, I was elected to Leeds City Council, first representing Aireborough and later Guiseley and Rawdon. As a councillor, I served on the Planning Panel, campaigned against unsuitable overdevelopment, and took responsibility for transport policy. I also worked with neighbouring councils on the Local Transport Plan for West Yorkshire.
In 2010, I was elected to Parliament. Since then, I have had the privilege of serving in several government and parliamentary roles, including Government Whip, Minister for Wales, Minister for Defence Procurement, Housing Minister, Minister for Sport, Tourism and Civil Society, and Minister for Equalities.
In 2021, I was honoured to be appointed to the Privy Council by Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Following changes to parliamentary boundaries, I was selected as the Conservative candidate for the Daventry constituency and elected as the constituency’s Member of Parliament in July 2024. I subsequently served as Opposition Chief Whip and Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. In July 2025, I was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Whatever national role I hold, my first responsibility is to the people of the Daventry constituency. I am committed to being a visible, accessible, and hardworking local Member of Parliament, standing up for our towns and villages and helping residents who need support.
My priorities include protecting our communities from unsuitable development, improving access to healthcare, supporting local businesses and farmers, investing in roads and other essential infrastructure, and ensuring that the constituency receives the services and investment it deserves.
From the charity sector to local government and Parliament, my career has always been rooted in public service. It is an enormous privilege to represent the people of the Daventry constituency, and I will continue working hard to ensure their concerns are heard locally and in Westminster.