About Jonathan

Jonathan was elected as the Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke on Thursday 12th December 2019.

Before this, he worked as a secondary school teacher in Birmingham. Jonathan was a Head of Year and was responsible for the achievement, behaviour and safety of over 250 students. He oversaw whole school attendance for Years 7 to 11 and was also the school trade union representative for the NASUWT.

Since being elected he previously sat on the Education Select Committee, helping them to author the report on disadvantaged white pupils. He now sits on the Business and Trade Committee, investigating issues like the Post Office scandal and post-Brexit trade agreements. 

Jonathan is also Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Apprenticeships and Chair of the APPG for Defibrillators. In addition, Jonathan plays a leading role in the New Conservatives who seek to influence Government policy on issues like immigration, skills and the economy.    

Jonathan's Private Members’ Bills - the Desecration of War Memorials, Proper Maintenance of Land, and on the Extension of Auto-Enrolment of Pensions - have been adopted by the Government and made into law.

Previously, Jonathan has held Parliamentary Private Secretary roles to both the House of Lords and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and served as Minister for School Standards in the Department for Education.

This year, Jonathan is taking part in the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme which raises awareness of issues facing the Armed Forces amongst MPs. Specifically, Jonathan is on the Army course and has visited training centres like AFC Harrogate, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the Infantry Battle School Brecon. 

Since December 2019, Jonathan has been proud to deliver:

  • £56 million for Stoke-on-Trent from the Levelling Up Fund, including over £3.5 million for Tunstall Library and Baths.
  • A £17.6 million Kidsgrove Town Deal – unleashing up to 1,700 new jobs at Chatterley Valley West, helping refurbish and re-open Kidsgrove Sports Centre, funding the pump track at Newchapel Rec, 3G Astro at the Kings School, upgrades to Kidsgrove Railway Station, upgrades to Clough Hall Park, and much more.
  • £31.7 million from the Bus Improvement Strategy to help Stoke-on-Trent ‘Bus Back Better’, which will see a day flat £3.50 fair introduced and improved weekend services.
  • 500+ brand new jobs from the Home Office in Stoke-on-Trent, and a home office hub at Two Smithfield in Hanley. 
  • A law change which will increase fines on rogue and absent landlords, inspired by Price and Kensington Teapot works (Proper Maintenance of Land Bill).
  • Education Investment Area status for Stoke-on-Trent.
  • Record £26.5 million for the Haywood Walk-In Centre to build a new outpatients facility.
  • Campaigned to re-open the Stoke-Leek line following a petition from residents.
  • A police touchdown space in the newly refurbished and re-opened Tunstall Town Hall, following his successful petition to residents.
  • A law change which increases prison sentences for defacing a war memorial (Desecration of War Memorials Bill).
  • £4 million to increase capacity at the Children’s A&E at the Royal Stoke Hospital.
  • £15 million in acute and community mental health services for Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire.
  • Rolled out new and improved CCTV in Kidsgrove – three new static and three new deployable cameras, which have been rolled out across Kidsgrove Parish. 
  • Secured £250,000 for new anti-crime infrastructure in Tunstall to keep residents and businesses safe
  • The development of a ‘Silicon Stoke’ agenda to underpin the city’s transition into a hub for video games investment, development and specialist education.
  • Fought for British motorists and kept the 5p cut in fuel duty at the 2023 Budget, extending the cut in fuel duty for the thirteenth consecutive year. 
  • Successfully led the petition to keep ULEZ out of Stoke-on-Trent.
  • Helped to acquire funding worth £208 million to improve roads and fix potholes in Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.  
  • Steered Pensions (Extension of Auto-Enrolment) Act 2023 through Parliament.