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[[Category:Labour Members of Parliament]]
[[Category:Labour Members of Parliament]]

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{{Infobox MP
|name = Jess Phillips
|name = Jess Phillips
|honorific-suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MP}}
|honorific-suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MP}}
|image =5b9vxP5m.jpg
|image =5b9vxP5m.jpg
|office = [[Member of Parliament]]<br/>for [[Birmingham Yardley (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Yardley]]
|office = Member of Parliament<br/>for [[Birmingham Yardley]]
|term_start = 7 May 2015
|term_start = 7 May 2015
|term_end =
|term_end =
|predecessor = [[John Hemming (politician)|John Hemming]]
|predecessor = John Hemming
|successor =
|successor =
|majority = 16,574 (37.2%)
|majority = 16,574 (37.2%)
|birth_name = Jessica Rose Trainor<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/jessphillips/status/164824335373176834|title=Jess Phillips MP on Twitter|publisher=}}</ref>
|birth_name = Jessica Rose Trainor
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|10|9|df=y}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|10|9|df=y}}<ref>{{cite tweet |author= Jess Phillips |user= jessphillips|number= 667374753821401088 |date= 19 November 2015 |title= I was born in 1981 |access-date= 12 April 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet |author= Jess Phillips |user= jessphillips|number=785060515856998400 |date= 9 October 2016 |title=My mother in law came over for Birthday breakfast |access-date=9 October 2016 }}</ref>
|birth_place = [[Birmingham]], England
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|death_place =
|party = [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|party =
|alma_mater = {{Plainlist}}
|alma_mater =
* [[University of Leeds]]
* [[University of Birmingham]]
{{Endplainlist}}
|website = {{url|jessphillips.net}}
|website = {{url|jessphillips.net}}
}}
}}
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⚫
'''Jessica Rose Phillips''' (born 9 October 1981) is a British politician. She was first elected as the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] [[Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Birmingham Yardley (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Yardley]] in [[United Kingdom general election, 2015|2015]], and was re-elected at the [[United Kingdom general election, 2017|2017 snap general election]].
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==Early life and career==
The youngest of four children, Phillips is the daughter of Stewart Trainor, a teacher, and Jean Trainor (née Mackay), who was Deputy Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation and Chair of South Birmingham Mental Health Trust.<ref>{{cite journal|last=|first=|date=21 October 1998|title=A new health role for Jean|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60876777.html|accessdate=21 January 2017|work=Birmingham Evening Mail}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/anger-over-plan-to-close-four-community-hospitals-1234773.html|title=Anger over plan to close four community hospitals|work=The Independent|date=8 October 1997|accessdate=13 March 2017}}</ref><ref name="Turner">{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/jess-phillips-labour-under-corbyn-feels-like-i-ve-been-locked-out-of-my-home-laura-pidcock-amber-rudd-maria-miller-stella-creasey-jacob-rees-mogg-gs5xp8mh7|title=Jess Phillips: 'Labour under Corbyn feels like I’ve been locked out of my home'|last=Turner|first=Janice|date=26 August 2017|work=The Times|accessdate=27 August 2017|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=}} {{subscription required}}</ref> They were politically active: "Growing up with my father was like growing up with Jeremy Corbyn" she told [[Rachel Cooke]] of ''[[The Observer]]'' in March 2016.<ref name="Cooke">{{cite news|last=Cooke|first=Rachel|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/mar/06/jess-phillips-someone-to-believe-in|title=Jess Phillips: someone to believe in|work=The Observer|date=6 March 2016|accessdate=13 August 2016}}</ref> Phillips went to [[King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls]], a local grammar school.<ref name=Cooke/><ref name=times-20160306>{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a-life-in-the-day-jess-phillips-labour-mp-ms756qzf3sd |title=A Life in the Day: Jess Phillips, Labour MP |last=Scott |first=Danny |work=The Times |location=London |date=6 March 2016 |accessdate=9 January 2018}}</ref> Her childhood ambition was to become [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]].<ref name=Cooke/>


⚫
'''Jessica Rose Phillips''' (born 9 October 1981) was first elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for [[Birmingham Yardley]] in 2015, and was re-elected at the 2017 snap general election.
Phillips studied Economic and Social History/[[Social Policy]] at the [[University of Leeds]] between 2000-2003. She marched in protest against the [[Iraq War]], as did her parents.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sylvester|first=Rachel|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/i-will-say-and-do-as-i-think-my-job-is-not-to-pander-to-corbyn-hv5nwpw39|title='I will say and do as I think. My job is not to pander to Corbyn'|work=The Times|date=24 September 2016|accessdate=24 September 2016}} {{subscription required}}</ref> Between 2011-2013, she studied for a [[postgraduate diploma]] in [[Public administration|Public Sector Management]] at the [[University of Birmingham]].<ref name="PoliticoGuide">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BVWqCQAAQBAJ&lpg=PT354&ots=iR-rSeJxwu&dq=politicos%20guide%20to%202015%20election%20jess%20phillips&pg=PT354#v=onepage&q&f=false|title=The Politicos Guide to the New House of Commons 2015: Profiles of the New MPs and Analysis of the 2015 General Election Results|last1=Carr|first1=Tim|last2=Dale|first2=Iain|publisher=Biteback Publishing|year=2015|isbn=1849549249|location=London|page=|pages=}}</ref>

From 2010 onwards, Phillips worked for [[Women's Aid Federation of England|Women's Aid]].<ref name="Cooke"/> She had a post as a Business Development Manager at the domestic sexual abuse charity, responsible for refugees from sexual abuse in [[Sandwell]] in the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]].<ref name="Pidd">{{cite news|last=Pidd|first=Helen|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/nov/23/labour-mp-jess-phillips-interview|title=MP Jess Phillips: 'You have to be a remarkable woman to get to the top … average men get there all the time'|work=The Guardian|date=23 November 2015|accessdate=13 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sandwellwomensaid.co.uk/executive-director-and-business-management-team.html |title=Sandwell Womens Aid |work=sandwellwomensaid.co.uk }}</ref><ref name="neilelkes">{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/domestic-violence-campaigner-jess-phillips-4703076 |title=Domestic violence campaigner Jess Phillips to take on 'love rat' John Hemming at next election |work=[[Birmingham Mail]]|last=Elkes|first=Neil|date=24 June 2013 }}</ref><ref name="birminghammail.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/new-yardley-mp-jess-phillips-9227386 |title=New Yardley MP Jess Phillips will not be told to 'calm down dear' by Prime Minister|last=Elkes|first=Neil|date=10 May 2015 |work=[[Birmingham Mail]] }}</ref> Before working for the charity, she worked for her parents at their company Healthlinks Event Management Services Limited.<ref name="PoliticoGuide" />

Phillips left the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] during the years of [[Tony Blair]]'s leadership, rejoining after the [[United Kingdom general election, 2010|2010 general election]].<ref name="Cooke" /> Her period at Women's Aid made Phillips "utterly pragmatic... I learned that my principles don't matter as much as <!-- "people" in the original source. -->[people's] lives."<ref name="Cooke"/> In the [[Birmingham City Council election, 2012|2012 local elections]], she was elected as a Labour councillor for the [[Longbridge]] ward, taking the seat from the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservatives]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/birmingham-city-council-elections-2012-184500 |title=Birmingham city council elections 2012: Full ward-by-ward results |date=3 May 2012|work=[[Birmingham Mail]] }}</ref> She was then appointed as the victims' champion at [[Birmingham City Council]], lobbying police and criminal justice organisations on behalf of victims.<ref name="neilelkes"/><ref name="birminghammail.co.uk"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/longbridge-councillor-jess-phillips-be-victims-187236 |title=Longbridge councillor Jess Phillips be victims' champion for Birmingham|last=Authi|first=Jasbir|date=21 June 2012 |work=[[Birmingham Mail]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.labour.org.uk/people/detail/jess-phillips |title=Jess Phillips |publisher=[[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] }}</ref> She also served on the [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]] [[Police and crime commissioner|Police and Crime Panel]].<ref name="PoliticoGuide" />


==Member of Parliament==
==Member of Parliament==


Phillips was selected to contest Birmingham Yardley in June 2013, a constituency at the time represented by John Hemming of the Liberal Democrats who at the 2010 general election, retained the seat with a majority of 3,002 votes. For the 2015 general election, Labour required a swing of 3.7% to take the seat, and after a swing of 11.7%, Phillips achieved a majority of 6,595 votes; equivalent to 16% of votes cast.
===2015 election and first months in the Commons===
Phillips was selected to contest [[Birmingham Yardley (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Yardley]] in June 2013, a constituency at the time represented by [[John Hemming (politician)|John Hemming]] of the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] who at the 2010 general election, retained the seat with a majority of 3,002 votes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/results/constituency/a39.stm |title=Election 2010 – Constituency – Birmingham Yardley |work=[[BBC News Online]] }}</ref> For the [[United Kingdom general election, 2015|2015 general election]], Labour required a swing of 3.7% to take the seat,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25949029 |title=Election 2015: The political battleground |work=[[BBC News Online]] }}</ref> and after a swing of 11.7%, Phillips achieved a majority of 6,595 votes; equivalent to 16% of votes cast.<ref name="2015Result">{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000568 |title=Birmingham Yardley Parliamentary constituency |work=[[BBC News Online]] |accessdate=7 May 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/parliamentary-constituencies/birmingham-yardley/ |title=Birmingham, Yardley |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] }}</ref> She made her [[maiden speech]] in the House of Commons on 28 May 2015, highlighting the issue of [[homelessness in England|homelessness]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201516/cmhansrd/cm150528/debtext/150528-0003.htm#150528-0003.htm_spnew7 |title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 28 May 2015 (pt 0003) |work=[[Hansard]] }}</ref> In the [[Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2015|2015 Labour leadership election]], Phillips nominated [[Yvette Cooper]] for Labour leader and [[Tom Watson (Labour politician)|Tom Watson]] for [[Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|deputy leader]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/new-yardley-mp-backs-yvette-9257151 |title=New Yardley MP backs Yvette Cooper for Labour leadership |author=Neil Elkes |date=14 May 2015 |work=[[Birmingham Mail]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/06/who-nominated-who-2015-labour-deputy-leadership-election |title=Who nominated who in the 2015 Labour deputy leadership election? |work=[[New Statesman]] |date=17 June 2015 }}</ref>

Phillips verbally clashed with fellow Labour MP [[Diane Abbott]] on 14 September over the gender composition of [[Jeremy Corbyn]]'s first Shadow Cabinet. After she asked Corbyn why he had failed to appoint a woman to shadow the great offices of state, Abbott accused her of being "sanctimonious" and pointed out that Phillips was "not the only feminist in the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party)". Corbyn did not intervene.<ref name="Dathan170915">{{cite news|last=Dathan|first=Matt|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-mp-jess-phillips-told-diane-abbott-to-f-off-in-jeremy-corbyn-sexism-row-10505493.html|title=Labour MP Jess Phillips told Diane Abbott to 'f*** off' in Jeremy Corbyn sexism row|work=The Independent|date=15 September 2016|accessdate=13 August 2016}}</ref> Owen Bennett wrote in ''[[The Huffington Post]]'' that Phillips recounted: {{" '}}I roundly told her to fuck off.' When asked what Ms Abbott did after that suggestion, Ms Phillips replied: 'She fucked off.{{' "}}<ref>{{cite web |last=Bennett |first=Owen| title=Labour MP Jess Phillips: I Told Diane Abbott To F*ck Off During Feminism Row |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/09/17/jess-phillips-diane-abbott-corbyn_n_8151468.html |work=[[The Huffington Post]]|date=17 September 2015|accessdate=30 January 2016 }}</ref> According to Diane Abbott in a January 2018 ''Guardian'' interview: "Jess Phillips never told me to fuck off. What was extraordinary is that she made a big deal of telling people she had".<ref>{{cite news|last=Segalov|first=Michael|url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/jan/27/diane-abbott-the-abuse-never-made-me-falter|title=Diane Abbott: ‘The abuse and the attacks have never made me falter’|work=The Guardian|date=27 January 2018|accessdate=9 February 2018}}</ref>

Phillips was appointed [[Parliamentary Private Secretary]] (PPS) to [[Lucy Powell]], then Shadow Education Secretary, in September 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/09/30/jeremy-corbyn-appoints-st_n_8219950.html |title=Jeremy Corbyn appoints Steve Rotheram as his Parliamentary aide |work=[[The Huffington Post]] UK |date=30 September 2015 }}</ref>

In October 2015, Phillips sparked a social media storm after she mocked the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MP [[Philip Davies]] for trying to get a debate about [[International Men's Day]].<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34844723|title=Guide to International Men's Day|first=Brian|last=Wheeler|date=19 November 2015|publisher=|accessdate=25 November 2016|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> Phillips openly laughed and pulled faces while Davies spoke, and then stated that: "You’ll have to excuse me for laughing. As the only woman on this committee, it seems like every day to me is International Men’s Day."<ref name="tele">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/11969823/Philip-Davies-MP-Political-correctness-is-damaging-men.html|title=Philip Davies MP: 'Political correctness is damaging men'|publisher=|accessdate=25 November 2016}}</ref><ref name="Dathan">{{cite news|last=Dathan|first=Matt|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-mp-wins-battle-for-international-mens-day-debate-in-parliament-a6730391.html|title=Tory MP wins battle for International Men's Day debate in Parliament|work=The Independent|date=11 November 2015|accessdate=13 August 2016}}</ref> Davies responded by stating that, "If a male MP had reacted in that way about the need for debate on International Women’s Day, there would have been hell to pay. It’s entirely possible you’d be removed from Chambers or have the Whip removed. I’m surprised she finds that a laughing matter."<ref name="auto"/><ref name="tele"/> Colleagues from both the Labour and Conservative parties agreed with Davies, and permission for a debate in [[Westminster Hall]] on 19 November was eventually granted.<ref name="Dathan"/> Phillips was not present at the debate, partly because she did not want her clash with Davies to become the dominant issue. She wrote in ''The Independent'' on 19 November: "I commend Philip Davies for changing the thrust of the debate to focus on male suicide — but in and of itself this day serves no useful function".<ref>{{cite news|last=Phillips|first=Jess|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/we-need-international-mens-day-about-as-much-as-a-white-history-month-or-able-body-action-day-a6740646.html|title=We need International Men's Day about as much as white history month, or able body action day|work=The Independent|date=19 November 2015|accessdate=13 August 2016}}</ref> Following Phillips's objections she was subjected to rape threats on social media.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Perraudin |first1=Frances |title=MPs rally in support of colleague subjected to rape threats |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/oct/30/mps-rally-support-colleague-threats-jess-philips-twitter |accessdate=31 October 2015 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=30 October 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itv.com/news/2015-10-30/labour-mp-jess-phillips-targeted-by-trolls-after-scoffing-at-mens-rights-debate-request/|title=Labour MP Jess Phillips targeted by trolls after scoffing at men's rights debate request|work=ITV News}}</ref>

Phillips told [[Owen Jones (writer)|Owen Jones]] in December 2015 that she had told Corbyn and his staff "to their faces: 'The day that ... you are hurting us more than you are helping us, I won't knife you in the back, I'll knife you in the front{{' "}}, if it looked as though he was damaging Labour's chances of winning the [[United Kingdom general election, 2017|next general election]].<ref name="Perraudin141215">{{cite news|last=Perraudin|first=Frances|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/dec/14/labour-mp-jess-phillips-knife-corbyn-vote-loser-general-election|title=Labour MP Jess Phillips will 'knife Corbyn in the front' if he damages party|work=The Guardian|date=14 December 2015|accessdate=13 August 2016}}</ref> Responding to criticism about her use of language, Phillips said on [[Twitter]]: "I am no more going to actually knife Jeremy Corbyn than I am actually a breath of fresh air, or a pain in the arse".<ref name="Perraudin141215"/>

===Since January 2016===
In January 2016, Phillips said on ''[[Question Time (TV series)|Question Time]]'' that events akin to the [[New Year's Eve sexual assaults in Germany|mass sexual assaults in Cologne]] happened every week on [[Birmingham]]'s [[Broad Street, Birmingham|Broad Street]]. She insisted any "patriarchal culture" must be challenged, but the UK should not "rest on its laurels" where two women are murdered every week.<ref>{{cite news|last=Staufenberg|first=Jess|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/labour-mp-jess-phillips-says-mass-cologne-sex-attacks-on-women-like-birmingham-every-weekend-a6840981.html|title=Jess Phillips: Labour MP says mass Cologne sex attacks on women like 'Birmingham every weekend'|work=The Independent|date=29 January 2016|accessdate=17 January 2017}}</ref> In response to criticism she told the ''[[Birmingham Mail]]'': "This isn’t something that refugees have brought into our country. This is something that’s always existed".<ref>{{cite news|last=Turner|first=Camilla|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/12131320/Labour-MP-faces-calls-to-resign-after-comparing-Cologne-attacks-to-Birmingham-night-out.html |title=Labour MP faces calls to resign after comparing Cologne attacks to Birmingham night out |date=30 January 2016 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |accessdate=2 March 2016 }}</ref><ref name="Perraudin">{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/29/labour-mp-jess-phillips-defends-remarks-about-cologne-sex-attacks|title=Labour MP Jess Phillips defends remarks about Cologne sex attacks|last=Perraudin|first=Frances|work=[[The Guardian]]|accessdate=17 January 2017}}</ref> Journalist [[Joan Smith]] criticised these remarks and asked Phillips to admit she was wrong.<ref>{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Joan |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/i-m-a-fan-jess-phillips-but-please-admit-you-re-wrong-on-cologne-sex-attacks-and-violence-against-a6843926.html |title=I’m a fan, Jess Phillips, but please admit you’re wrong on Cologne sex attacks and violence against women |date=30 January 2016 |work=[[The Independent]] |accessdate=2 March 2016 }}</ref>

Phillips criticised the gender makeup of Labour's Shadow Cabinet reshuffle in January 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jan/07/misogyny-feminism-stop-the-war-jeremy-corbyn|title=Why I won’t shut up about misogyny and the left|last=Phillips|first=Jess|date=7 January 2016|work=The Guardian|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|accessdate=13 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=McCann|first=Kate|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/12088933/Female-Labour-MP-accuses-Jeremy-Corbyn-of-giving-women-a-pat-on-the-head.html|title=Female Labour MP accuses Jeremy Corbyn of giving women 'a pat on the head'|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=8 January 2016|accessdate=13 August 2016}}</ref> In June 2016, she stepped down from her role as PPS to [[Lucy Powell]], the Shadow Education Secretary, following the resignation of Powell and other Shadow Cabinet members over the leadership of [[Jeremy Corbyn]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Graeme|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/jess-phillips-resigns-parliamentary-role-11528676|title=Jess Phillips resigns from role as rebellion continues|work=Birmingham Mail|date=27 June 2016|access-date=10 July 2016}}</ref>

After receiving several thousand threatening or demeaning tweets within a 36-hour period in May 2016, including allusions to rape, Phillips complained to Twitter and was told the tweets did not break its rules. She accused the company of "colluding" with her abusers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Oppenheim |first=Maya |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/labour-mp-jess-phillips-receives-600-rape-threats-in-one-night-a7058041.html |title=Labour MP Jess Phillips receives '600 rape threats in one night' |work=[[The Independent]] |date=31 May 2016 |accessdate=1 June 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Phillips |first=Jess |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/by-ignoring-the-thousands-of-rape-threats-sent-to-me-twitter-is/ |title=By ignoring the thousands of rape threats sent to me, Twitter is colluding with my abusers |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=1 June 2016 |accessdate=1 June 2016 }}</ref> Her response to [[Killing of Jo Cox|the murder in June 2016]] of her friend, the Labour MP [[Jo Cox]], was that it "makes me want to fight harder".<ref name="Phillips190616">{{cite news|last=Phillips|first=Jess|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/jess-phillips-mp-the-death-of-my-friend-jo-cox-makes-me-want-to/|title=Jess Phillips MP: The death of my friend Jo Cox makes me want to fight harder|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=19 June 2016|accessdate=16 August 2016}}</ref>{{clarify|date=January 2017}} She wrote of them both receiving online abuse and threats: "Usually, we both shrugged it off, never feeling any real fear. Conversations usually ended with a defiant, 'we won't let the bastards grind us down' and a cuddle".<ref name="Phillips190616"/> In August 2016, she told ''[[The World at One]]'' on [[BBC Radio 4|Radio 4]] that a "[[Safe room|panic room]]" was being installed in her constituency office which now has an alarm system. At her home, improved locks have been fitted.<ref>{{cite news|last=Asthana|first=Anushka|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/aug/16/labour-mp-jess-phillips-installing-panic-room-at-office-following-threats|title=Labour MP Jess Phillips installing 'panic room' at office following threats|work=The Guardian|date=16 August 2016|accessdate=6 August 2016}}</ref>

She became chair of the Women’s [[Parliamentary Labour Party]] (PLP) following a vote in September 2016, defeating her predecessor [[Dawn Butler]], considered a Corbyn ally.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Savage|first1=Michael|last2=Fisher|first2=Lucy|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rebel-ousts-corbyn-ally-as-leader-of-women-mps-gk8p2cctw|title=Corbyn ally ousted in victory for rebel MPs|work=The Times|date=14 September 2016|accessdate=14 September 2016}} {{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Proctor|first=Kate|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/labour-women-in-fight-for-top-job-a3343606.html|title=Labour women in fight for top job|work=London Evening Standard|date=13 September 2016|accessdate=14 September 2016}}</ref>

On 23 February 2017, a first book written by Phillips, ''Everywoman, One Woman's Truth About Speaking the Truth'', was published by [[Penguin Books]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/mar/06/everywoman-by-jess-phillips-review-a-life-less-ordinary-empowering-labour-mp/|title=Everywoman by Jess Phillips – a life less ordinary|date=6 March 2017|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/1113492/everywoman//|title=Everywoman One Woman’s Truth About Speaking the Truth|date=23 February 2017|work=[[Penguin Books]]}}</ref>

During the 2017 general election campaign, Phillips criticised the calling of the snap election.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/jess-phillips-general-election-political-opportunism_uk_58f6372fe4b0bb9638e6ba70|title=MP Says General Election Shows Westminster Doesn't Understand People|date=18 April 2017|last=Demianyk|first=Graeme|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=3 May 2017}}</ref> She was reselected as the Labour candidate for [[Birmingham Yardley (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Yardley]], and coincidentally her predecessor, [[John Hemming (politician)|John Hemming]] was reselected by the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] as their official candidate, in what was reported as a "grudge match".<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/general-election-its-john-hemming-12937654|title=General Election: It's John Hemming vs Jess Phillips in re-run of Yardley grudge match|last=Elkes|first=Neil|date=24 April 2017|work=Birmingham Mail|access-date=3 May 2017}}</ref> Phillips subsequently gained a 57.1% share of the vote, increasing her majority to 16,574 votes, with the Conservatives finishing in second place and the Lib Dems in third place. Upon her victory, she continued her criticisms of Hemming.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/jess-phillips-lays-rival-john-13160332|title=Jess Phillips lays into rival John Hemming after victory|last=Elkes|first=Neil|date=9 June 2017|work=Birmingham Mail|access-date=18 June 2017}}</ref>

Following the general election, Phillips said the Women's PLP would co-ordinate to promote policies beneficial to women in the context of a [[hung parliament]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/06/labour-female-mps-commons-bloc-womens-issues-jess-phillips|title=Labour's female MPs vow to use Commons strength to improve lives of women|last=Asthana|first=Anushka|date=6 July 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 July 2017}}</ref> In July 2017, Phillips called for a review into elections for chairs of [[Select committee (United Kingdom)|House of Commons select committees]] due to the relatively low number of female candidates.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jul/11/mp-jess-phillips-urges-review-more-female-committee-chairs|title=MP Jess Phillips urges review to get more female committee chairs|last=Asthana|first=Anushka|date=11 July 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=12 July 2017}}</ref> Phillips is a member of the [[Labour Friends of Israel]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/mps-%EF%AC%82ock-to-support-labour-israel-group-1.53362|title=MPs flock to support Labour Israel group|publisher=The Jewish Chronicle|date=22 September 2016}}</ref>

==Personal life==
She is married to Tom Phillips; the couple have two sons.<ref name="Turner"/> Her husband works as Phillips' Constituency Support Manager.<ref name=bm-20150702>{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/new-mp-jess-phillips-employs-9565645 |title=New MP Jess Phillips employs her husband as assistant in taxpayer-funded job |last=Walker |first=Jonathan |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=2 July 2015 |accessdate=2 April 2018}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{UK MP links |parliament=jess-phillips/4370 |publicwhip=Jess_Phillips |theywork=jess_phillips}}
*[http://www.progressonline.org.uk/2015/09/11/we-need-to-learn-a-lesson-from-the-tories/ Phillip's article] in the ''[[Progress (organisation)|Progress Magazine]]''.

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef |before=[[John Hemming (politician)|John Hemming]] }}
{{s-ttl |title=Member of Parliament<br/>for [[Birmingham Yardley (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Yardley]] |years=[[United Kingdom general election, 2015|2015]]–present }}
{{s-inc}}
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Phillips was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to [[Lucy Powell]], then Shadow Education Secretary, in September 2015.
{{West Midlands Labour Party MPs}}


She became chair of the Women’s Parliamentary Labour Party in September 2016.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Jess}}
[[Category:1981 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Birmingham]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Leeds]]
[[Category:Anti-domestic violence activists]]
[[Category:Councillors in Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Labour Party (UK) councillors]]
[[Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Labour Friends of Israel]]
[[Category:Politics of Birmingham, West Midlands]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2015–17]]
[[Category:UK MPs 2017–]]
[[Category:21st-century women politicians]]

Revision as of 10:25, 6 June 2018


Jess Phillips
MP
Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Yardley
Assumed office
7 May 2015
Preceded by John Hemming
Majority 16,574 (37.2%)
Personal details
Born Jessica Rose Trainor
(1981-10-09) 9 October 1981 (age 42)
Website jessphillips.net


Jessica Rose Phillips (born 9 October 1981) was first elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Yardley in 2015, and was re-elected at the 2017 snap general election.

Member of Parliament

Phillips was selected to contest Birmingham Yardley in June 2013, a constituency at the time represented by John Hemming of the Liberal Democrats who at the 2010 general election, retained the seat with a majority of 3,002 votes. For the 2015 general election, Labour required a swing of 3.7% to take the seat, and after a swing of 11.7%, Phillips achieved a majority of 6,595 votes; equivalent to 16% of votes cast.

Phillips was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Lucy Powell, then Shadow Education Secretary, in September 2015.

She became chair of the Women’s Parliamentary Labour Party in September 2016.

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