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Jen Craft

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Jen Craft
MP
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Thurrock
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byJackie Doyle-Price
Majority6,474 (17.2%)
Personal details
BornOrsett, Thurrock, Essex, England
Political partyLabour
SpouseAlastair Craft
Residence(s)Grays, Essex, England
EducationGrays Convent High School
Palmer's College University of Leicester
Websitewww.jencraft4thurrock.com

Jennifer Craft[1] is a British Labour Party politician and former civil servant who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Thurrock since 2024.

Early life and career

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Craft was born at Orsett Hospital in Orsett, Thurrock, England. She grew up in Grays, Thurrock[2] and was educated at Grays Convent High School and Palmer's College.[3][4] She studied politics and history at university.[5] Before entering politics, she worked as a civil servant. She left the civil service to look after one of her children who has Down syndrome.[2]

In an interview from 2023, Craft said her interest in politics was inspired by her mother, a GMB shop steward, and her children.[5] A member of the Labour Party, she was Labour MP Margaret Hodge's campaign manager in the 2010 general election, managing her campaign to defeat the British National Party in the constituency of Barking.[6][4] In the 2019 Thurrock Council election, she stood as the Labour candidate for the ward of Stifford Clays.[4] She came in second place behind Jennifer Smith of the Thurrock Independents by 188 votes.[3][1]

Member of Parliament

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Craft speaking in the House of Commons during Prime Minister's Questions, 16 October 2024

In 2022, Craft was selected as the Labour Party's prospective parliamentary candidate for the constituency of Thurrock. She was chosen in a ballot of local party members, beating Thurrock Council Labour leader John Kent, former Basildon Council Labour leader Jack Ferguson and Ealing Council member Miriam Rice.[7][6] She was convinced to run by her husband Alastair and applied for financial support from the organisation MotheRed to support her bid to become Labour's candidate in the seat.[5][4] Her bid was supported by former Thurrock Council Labour leader Jane Pothecary, former Thurrock mayor Carl Morris and John Biggs, the former mayor of Tower Hamlets. She was also endorsed by several trade unions, including GMB, Community and USDAW.[6][8]

After Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the 2024 general election in May 2024, Craft said it was an opportunity for Labour to "unleash a decade of national renewal". She criticised the Conservative Party for presiding over the bankruptcy of Thurrock Council, which she said reflected the national situation under Sunak's Conservative government. Although optimistic, Craft warned that the election was "not a foregone conclusion" and pledged to "work hard for every single vote until the polls close" on election day.[9] In the same month, she launched the party's six pledges for the election with Labour leader Keir Starmer.[10] In June, she was endorsed by Ross Kemp.[11] In that month, she campaigned in the constituency with Starmer and Labour frontbenchers Liz Kendall and Yvette Cooper.[2]

At the general election on 4 July 2024, she defeated the incumbent Conservative MP Jackie Doyle-Price with 16,050 votes and was elected the new MP for Thurrock with a majority of 6,474 votes, or 17.2%, over Reform UK candidate Sophie Preston-Hall.[12][13][14][15] Her election made her one of at least three disabled MPs who were first elected in 2024, alongside Labour MP Marie Tidball and Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling.[16] She was sworn in to Parliament on 11 July 2024[17] and made her maiden speech on 4 September 2024.[18][19]

Personal life

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Craft lives in Grays with her family.[2] Her husband is Alastair Craft, a consultant and Labour member who stood for the party in the 2024 Thurrock Council election.[20][7][9] She is disabled, describing herself as having "long term mental health issues" in an interview from 2023, and is also a full-time caregiver for one of her children who has Down syndrome.[5][2][16]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Election results for Stifford Clays: Borough Council Elections - Thursday, 2nd May, 2019". Thurrock Council. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e Elgot, Jessica (20 June 2024). "'We are backing ourselves': Labour aims to turn tide on Tories in Essex". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b Speight, Neil (31 October 2022). "Home town girl Jen tells of her pride at being selected for parliamentary battle". Thurrock Nub News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Day-Parker, Jessica (6 July 2024). "General Election: South Essex new Members of Parliament". Basildon Canvey and Southend Echo. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "Interview: Jen Craft". Centenary Action. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Neame, Katie (31 October 2022). "Three Labour parliamentary candidates selected over the weekend". LabourList. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  7. ^ a b Neame, Katie (17 October 2022). "Four make shortlist in Thurrock parliamentary candidate selection". LabourList. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  8. ^ Speight, Neil (29 October 2022). "Labour select new candidate for general election in Thurrock". Thurrock Nub News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  9. ^ a b "Labour's candidate says election is a 'chance for renewal'". Thurrock Nub News. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  10. ^ Speight, Neil (16 May 2024). "Labour leader takes his message to Thurrock residents". Thurrock Nub News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  11. ^ Whitehouse, Ellis (28 June 2024). "EastEnders star Ross Kemp spotted at Thurrock pub pulling pints". EssexLive. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  12. ^ Adams, Lewis (5 July 2024). "Labour gains Thurrock from the Conservatives". BBC News. Edited by Charlie Jones. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  13. ^ Lynne, Freddie (5 July 2024). "RESULT: Thurrock turns red". EssexLive. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  14. ^ Amos, Owen; Hancock, Sam (5 July 2024). "Labour gains Thurrock from the Conservatives". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Latest General Election results for Essex - every constituency result as it happens". ITV News. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  16. ^ a b Pring, John (11 July 2024). "Trio of new disabled MPs join House of Commons". Disability News Service. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Members Sworn". Hansard. 752. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 13 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Thurrock MP Jennifer Craft makes her maiden speech in House of Commons". Your Thurrock. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
  19. ^ "Thurrock MP pledges to champion borough and families with special educational needs". Thurrock Nub News. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  20. ^ Owen, Jonathan (22 August 2024). "More MPs have relatives who lobby". PR Week. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
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