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Dan Jarvis

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Major
Dan Jarvis
MBE MP
Official portrait, 2024
Minister of State for Security
Incumbent
Assumed office
6 July 2024
Prime MinisterKeir Starmer
Preceded byTom Tugendhat
Member of Parliament
for Barnsley North
Barnsley Central (2011–2024)
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 March 2011
Preceded byEric Illsley
Majority7,811 (21.1%)
2023–2024Security
2015–2015Foreign Affairs
2013–2015Youth Justice and Victims
2011–2013Culture
Mayor of South Yorkshire
Sheffield City Region (2018–2021)
In office
7 May 2018 – 8 May 2022
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byOliver Coppard
Personal details
Born
Daniel Owen Woolgar Jarvis

(1972-11-30) 30 November 1972 (age 51)
Nottingham, East Midlands, England
Political partyLabour Co-op
Alma materAberystwyth University (BA)
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
King's College London (MA)
WebsiteOfficial website
Military service
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch/service British Army
Years of service1997–2011
RankMajor
UnitParachute Regiment
Battles/warsOperation Banner
Kosovo War
Operation Telic
Operation Herrick

Daniel Owen Woolgar Jarvis MBE (born 30 November 1972) is a British politician and former Army officer who has served as Minister of State for Security since July 2024,[1] and as Member of Parliament (MP) for Barnsley North, formerly Barnsley Central, since 2011.[2] A member of the Labour and Co-operative Party, he was Mayor of South Yorkshire, formerly Sheffield City Region, from 2018 to 2022. Jarvis served as a member of the Parachute Regiment from 1997 to 2011.

Early life

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Daniel Owen Woolgar Jarvis was born in Nottingham on 30 November 1972,[3] the son of a lecturer at a teacher-training college and a probation officer, both Labour Party members.[4] He attended Lady Bay Primary School and then went on to study at Rushcliffe School.

He studied international politics at what was then the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.[5] He graduated in 1996, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in international politics and strategic studies.[6] He graduated with an MA in conflict, security and development from King's College, London, in 2011.

Military career

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Jarvis was commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 9 August 1997 into the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment.[7] He was promoted to captain on 10 October 2001 and to major on 31 July 2003.[8][9] In the later part of his army career he was stationed at HQ Land Forces in Wilton and lived in Salisbury.[10]

In 1999 Jarvis was a platoon commander with the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment in Kosovo and was with Gen. Sir Mike Jackson during the Pristina Airport incident when Jackson refused the suggestion of his American NATO superior to confront Russian forces. Jarvis later described Jackson's comment to Wesley Clark that he was "not going to start World War Three for you" as a "very surreal moment in my life". Jarvis then served as Jackson's personal staff officer. In 2000 he was deployed to Sierra Leone in the aftermath of Operation Barras to help the army learn the lessons of the kidnap of a group of troops by an armed rebel group.[5]

Jarvis served in Iraq during Operation Telic and in Afghanistan during Operation Herrick.[11] He was deployed to Afghanistan twice, first as a member of the team making the first reconnaissance trips to Helmand Province in 2005 to 2006, in preparation for a decision on whether to commit British troops there. The second deployment was a six-month tour as a company commander with the Special Forces Support Group, leading a company of 100 troops.[5] He was also deployed to Northern Ireland.[12]

He resigned his commission on 3 March 2011.[13] In the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (Military division).[14]

Early political career

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Although his military service had precluded political activity, Jarvis had joined the Labour Party at the age of 18[15] while at university.[16] Shortly before the 2010 general election, Jarvis was shortlisted for the Labour Party selection in the South Wales seat of Islwyn.[17] He picked up support from one local would-be candidate who had not made the shortlist,[18] but he was not selected.

Jarvis in 2011 during the Barnsley by-election

Jarvis was selected as the Labour candidate for Barnsley Central on 27 January 2011, following the resignation of Eric Illsley who stood down after being convicted of fraud for his part in the United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal. An eliminating ballot was held and at the penultimate stage Jarvis was tied with local councillor Linda Burgess, each several votes behind Richard Burgon. London Regional Director, Ken Clark, put two pieces of paper into the hat of Phil Dilks, the Press Officer: one that read "Loser" and one "Winner". Burgess, in going first, picked out the paper reading "Loser", and Jarvis won. In the final stage he picked up most of Burgess' votes, and won selection.[3] He became the first Labour candidate for the Barnsley Central seat since 1938 who was not born in Yorkshire.[19]

On his selection, he resigned his commission in order to stand in the by-election;[5] he gave his campaign the codename 'Operation Honey Badger', referring to a famously fierce animal and signifying his determination to fight for the people of Barnsley.[15] Jarvis found that his Nottingham origins put off some Barnsley voters, who remembered the fact that Nottinghamshire miners did not join the 1984–85 miners' strike, although he had been 12 at the time.[16]

Parliamentary career

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Jarvis in 2017

Member of Parliament

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He was elected for Barnsley Central with a 60.8% share of the vote on a turnout of 36.5% in the by-election held on 3 March 2011.[20]

During his maiden speech on the 2011 budget, Jarvis called for a change in economic policy including "a plan to get jobs and to help families feeling the squeeze". He also referred to Parachute Regiment colleagues who had been killed in action and argued that the UK and US should put forward reconciliation in Afghanistan.[21] He joined the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee on 21 March.[22] Jarvis spoke in a debate about NHS reforms in May 2011, paying emotional tribute to the doctors and nurses who cared for his wife, who had died the previous year, and feared an "ideological free-market agenda" which he said would undermine "all that is great about the NHS".[23]

In October 2011, Jarvis was appointed shadow arts minister, part of the shadow culture, media and sport team led by Harriet Harman; he moved to become shadow youth justice and victims minister in Labour leader Ed Miliband's October 2013 shadow cabinet reshuffle.

Following the Labour Party's defeat in the 2015 general election, and the resignation of Ed Miliband, media speculation about candidates for the party's leadership election included Dan Jarvis alongside several other MPs.[24] However, he quickly announced that he was not going to run, saying that he needed to put his young family first; he had recently remarried after losing his first wife to cancer.[25]

Jarvis voted along with 66 other Labour MPs for military action in Syria against ISIL in December 2015, arguing that the decision was "finely balanced" but that he did not believe the UK could pursue existing operations against ISIS without being able to attack ISIS's command centres on the other side of the Syrian border.[26][27] He had previously opposed military action against the Assad regime in Syria in 2013.[28]

Jarvis campaigned for a remain vote in the European Union membership referendum; his constituency voted heavily in favour of Brexit.[29] Jarvis voted to trigger Article 50, stating that the referendum result and his constituents' views must be respected.[30][31]

Shadow Minister for Security

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In the 2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Security.[32]

Mayoralty

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Candidacy

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Jarvis was elected Mayor of the Sheffield City Region in 2018.[33] He was the first directly elected mayor of the Sheffield City Region, receiving 48% of the vote in the first count and securing his position after the second count against Tory rival Ian Walker.[34]Jarvis successfully challenged Labour's decision to prevent him from holding dual public offices.[35]

Upon taking office, he became entitled to the style of Mayor.[36] On 20 September 2021 he announced he would not be standing for re-election at the 2022 South Yorkshire mayoral election.[37] but would remain an MP.[38]

Policies

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As mayor, Jarvis implemented several policies that aimed to transform the area economically and socially. One of his notable initiatives was the Strategic Economic Plan (SEP), a 20-year blueprint designed to foster stronger, greener, and fairer economic growth. The plan outlined aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040, creating high-paid jobs, and reducing income inequality. The SEP was developed in collaboration with South Yorkshire's councils and local businesses and with both public and private partnerships in driving regional development.[39]

In addition to the SEP, Jarvis also focused on improving skills and educational opportunities within Sheffield with initiatives like the Sheffield Children's University, which incentivised children to participate in extra-curricular activities to boost learning capabilities. The program was aimed at children from deprived backgrounds and to correlate with higher educational attainment and better GCSE results. Jarvis allocated funds to expand the scheme to other parts of the Sheffield City.[40]

Jarvis implemented environmental policies aimed at combating climate change and promoting sustainability with the declaration of a Climate Emergency in November 2019, which set the stage for his ambitious environmental agenda. He committed the region to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, a full decade ahead of the national target. To support the target, Jarvis introduced the Sheffield City Region's Energy Strategy in July 2020. This strategy outlined a comprehensive plan to decarbonise the region's energy system.[41]

Infrastructure projects

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Jarvis pushed forward new infrastructure projects to transform and improve the city's transport and connectivity landscape with most notably with the "Connecting Sheffield" project, which focused on promoting active travel by enhancing walking and cycling routes. The £50 million project was to ease congestion, improve air quality, and encourage a more active lifestyle among residents. The project involved creating new cycling routes, improving bus routes, and implementing Low Traffic Neighbourhoods to make the city more accessible and environmentally sustainable.[42]

Jarvis also improved the Northern Powerhouse Rail plan, with him advocating for a £39 billion investment to enhance rail connectivity across Northern England. The plan included upgrading key rail connections and integrating the Sheffield HS2 station into the broader network. His efforts were part of a broader vision to reduce travel times, boost economic growth, and improve transport links between major northern cities.[43]

COVID-19 pandemic

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Jarvis also addressed the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic with the South Yorkshire COVID-19 Response Group to lead the region's recovery by bringing together various local institutions, including business bodies, universities, trade unions, local authorities, and community groups. The group focused on providing a coordinated response to the pandemic's impact on the economy and society, ensuring that South Yorkshire emerged resilient from the crisis. They worked on developing and lobbying for necessary support from the government to aid in recovery efforts.[44] He also implemented the Kickstart scheme, aimed at creating job opportunities for young people affected by the pandemic. Despite initial delays in the scheme's rollout, Jarvis was vocal for the need for the government to guarantee the process for placements.[45]

Minister of State for Security (2024–present)

[edit]

Following the Labour Party's landslide victory in the 2024 general election, Jarvis was appointed Minister of State for Security by Prime Minister Keir Starmer following the formation of the new cabinet on 5 July.[46] `He was one of six MPs from the region of Yorkshire to appointed to the cabinet.[47]

On 9 July, three women in Bushey, Hertsmere were injured and later died of wounds sustained by a crossbow attack carried out by a 26-year old Kyle Clifford who was promptly detained by the police. Following the tragedy, Jarvis called the attack was "devastating" and offered condolences to the victims' family. Jarvis said that it was "entirely reasonable" to question current laws on the appropriate use of weapons and that ministers would act "decisively" if the laws needed to be changed. When asked whether laws on deadly weapons should be restricted, Jarvis said that the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was "very carefully" examining proposals for evidence and stated that "the Home Secretary [Yvette Cooper] is looking at this literally as we speak".[48][49]

Personal life

[edit]

Jarvis met his first wife, Caroline, in 2000, when she was working as a personal chef for the family of General Sir Mike Jackson. Their first child was born in 2003, three days before Jarvis was deployed to Iraq; their second child was born in 2004. Caroline Jarvis was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2006; she died at the age of 43 in July 2010.[4][16] In 2013 Jarvis married a freelance graphic designer, Rachel Jarvis, and the couple had a child.[4][50] Jarvis is also an author, with his memoir A Long Way Home first published in 2020. The book chronicles his time in the British Army and how he dealt with the diagnosis and untimely death of his first wife, Caroline Jarvis. In 2020, the book was named Best Memoir at the Parliamentary Book Awards 2020.

In addition, he has run the London marathon since 2010[51]

Honours

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Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
NATO Medal for Kosovo
General Service Medal
Iraq Medal
OSM for Afghanistan
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal 2002

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Minister of State (Minister for Security) – GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Ministerial Appointments: July 2024". GOV.UK. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b Profile, The House Magazine, 2 May 2011, p. 26
  4. ^ a b c Rice, Xan (9 March 2015). "From war to Westminster: is Labour's Dan Jarvis a future Prime Minister?". New Statesman. London. Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d "Labour victor Dan Jarvis is former Parachute Regiment officer". The Daily Telegraph. London. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 7 March 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  6. ^ "People". Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  7. ^ "No. 54899". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 September 1997. p. 10725.
  8. ^ "No. 56446". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 January 2002. p. 173.
  9. ^ "No. 57018". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 August 2003. pp. 9722–9725.
  10. ^ Blake, Morwenna (4 March 2011). "Former soldier from Salisbury elected as Barnsley MP". Salisbury Journal. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2011.
  11. ^ "Hero soldier tells of the family tragedy which spurred on election attempt". Sheffield Star. 24 February 2011. Archived from the original on 26 February 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  12. ^ "War hero Dan Jarvis is Labour candidate for by-election". Metro. 29 January 2011. Archived from the original on 5 March 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
  13. ^ "No. 59749". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 April 2011. p. 6389.
  14. ^ "No. 59808". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2011. p. 6.
  15. ^ a b Wainwright, Martin (4 March 2011). "Dan Jarvis a dream candidate, say Barnsley's Labour activists". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
  16. ^ a b c "Dan Jarvis: The grieving soldier on a quick march to the Commons". The Sunday Times. London. 6 March 2011. p. 5.
  17. ^ "Islwyn councillors quit Labour over shortlist". South Wales Argus. Newport. 1 March 2010. Archived from the original on 30 April 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  18. ^ "'I'm backing Labour' – shortlist hopeful". South Wales Argus. Newport. 6 March 2010. Archived from the original on 8 March 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
  19. ^ "Dan Jarvis – a surprise choice for Labour in Barnsley". BBC News. 28 January 2011. Archived from the original on 11 February 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
  20. ^ "Labour win Barnsley Central by-election". BBC News. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
  21. ^ "Maiden speech of Dan Jarvis MP – in full". Barnsley Chronicle. 24 March 2011. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  22. ^ "Votes and Proceedings" (PDF). House of Commons. 21 March 2011. p. 852. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
  23. ^ Casci, Mark (10 May 2011). "Lansley defiant over NHS reforms". Yorkshire Post. Leeds. Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2011.
  24. ^ Wintour, Patrick (8 May 2015). "Ed Miliband resigns as Labour leader". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  25. ^ "Dan Jarvis says he won't run". Daily Mirror. London. 10 May 2015. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  26. ^ Jarvis, Dan (1 December 2015). "The case for action against Isil in Syria outweighs the case for inaction". New Statesman. London. Archived from the original on 12 December 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  27. ^ Stone, Jon (3 December 2015). "The 66 Labour MPs who voted for bombing in Syria listed". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 13 December 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  28. ^ "Syria debate: how did your MP vote?". The Daily Telegraph. London. 30 August 2013. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
  29. ^ Kotecha, Sima (9 May 2016). "The Remain MP and his Eurosceptic town". BBC News. Archived from the original on 30 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  30. ^ "European Union: Brexit & Article 50". danjarvis.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  31. ^ "Barnsley votes to LEAVE the EU". itv.com. Archived from the original on 7 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  32. ^ Belger, Tom (5 September 2023). "Labour reshuffle: Starmer unveils six new shadow ministers of state". LabourList. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  33. ^ "Labour MP wins South Yorkshire mayor vote". BBC News. 4 May 2018. Archived from the original on 7 May 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2018.
  34. ^ "Labour MP wins South Yorkshire mayor vote". BBC News. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  35. ^ "Dan Jarvis wins battle against Labour bosses to stay on as MP if elected South Yorkshire mayor". Politics Home. 25 February 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
  36. ^ Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, s 107A(5).
  37. ^ Jarvis, Dan [@DanJarvisMP] (20 September 2021). "It's a huge privilege to serve as the first South Yorkshire Mayor and I'm proud of all we've achieved, but I won't be standing again next May" (Tweet). Retrieved 20 September 2021 – via Twitter.
  38. ^ "Dan Jarvis: MP to step down as South Yorkshire Mayor". BBC News. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  39. ^ "Sheffield City Region MCA approves 20-year plan for stronger, greener and fairer economic growth". SheffNews. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  40. ^ Cities, Centre (28 May 2019). "How Dan Jarvis uses his limited powers to improve Sheffield's skills provision". Centre for Cities. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  41. ^ "Supporting the region on its journey to net zero". www.sheffield.ac.uk. 22 March 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  42. ^ Hargreaves, James (3 November 2020). "Connecting Sheffield: New £50 million Project To Encourage Active Travel • The Sheffield Guide". The Sheffield Guide. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  43. ^ "Sheffield City Region mayor launches major rail plan". www.railtechnologymagazine.com. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  44. ^ Shakesby, Chloe (3 April 2020). "Yorkshire mayor launches coronavirus response group to aid region's economy". Bdaily Business News. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  45. ^ Times, Yorkshire. "Sheffield City Region's Mayor And Local Enterprise Partnership Call On Government To Fix Kickstart Scheme". yorkshiretimes.co.uk. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  46. ^ "Ministerial Appointments: July 2024". GOV.UK. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  47. ^ "Yorkshire MPs take centre stage in Sir Keir Starmer's cabinet". www.bbc.com. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  48. ^ Courea, Eleni; Syal, Rajeev (11 July 2024). "Crossbow laws being urgently reviewed after three women killed, says minister". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  49. ^ Burford, Rachael (11 July 2024). "Crossbow laws will be looked at after triple killing, says Security Minister". Evening Standard. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  50. ^ "Jarvis, Daniel Owen Woolgar, (born 30 Nov. 1972), MP (Lab) Barnsley Central, since March 2011; Mayor, Sheffield City Region, since 2018 | WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO". www.ukwhoswho.com. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U254788. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  51. ^ "Dan Jarvis Profile". Retrieved 4 April 2024.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Barnsley Central
2011–2024 		Constituency abolished
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for Barnsley North
2024–present 		Incumbent
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