Jo Stevens


Joanna Meriel Stevens is a Welsh Labour Party politician in the UK House of Commons. She was elected as the Member of Parliament for Cardiff Central in the May 2015 general election. Stevens currently serves as the Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and sits on the National Executive Committee on behalf of the shadow frontbench.

Early life and career

Stevens was born in Swansea, West Glamorgan, Wales and grew up in Mold, Flintshire. She attended Ysgol Uwchradd Argoed and Elfed High School.
She studied law at Manchester University and completed the Solicitors' Professional Examination at Manchester Polytechnic in 1989.
Prior to becoming an MP, Stevens was People and Organisation Director of Thompsons Solicitors.

Member of Parliament

Stevens was elected as Member of Parliament for Cardiff Central on 7 May 2015 with a majority of 4,981, defeating incumbent Liberal Democrat MP Jenny Willott.
In Jeremy Corbyn's January 2016 reshuffle, she was appointed shadow solicitor general and shadow justice minister. Despite this she supported Owen Smith in the 2016 Labour Party leadership election. In October 2016 reshuffle, after Corbyn's re-election as party leader, Stevens became Shadow Secretary of State for Wales. She resigned on 27 January 2017 in order to vote against the three-line whip obliging Labour MPs to vote in favour of Article 50. In March 2019, Stevens voted against the Labour Party whip and in favour of an amendment tabled by members of The Independent Group for a second public vote.
Stevens chairs the GMB Parliamentary Group who help to make sure issues that matter to GMB members are raised in the House of Commons.
Stevens supported Keir Starmer in the 2020 Labour Party leadership election. He subsequently appointed her Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, shadowing Oliver Dowden.