Michelle Donelan


Michelle Emma May Elizabeth Donelan is a British Conservative Party politician. She was elected at the general election in May 2015 as the Member of Parliament for the Chippenham constituency in Wiltshire, which includes the market towns of Bradford on Avon, Chippenham, Corsham and Melksham, and the surrounding rural areas. Donelan was appointed Minister of State for Universities in the Department for Education in February 2020.

Education and early life

Donelan grew up in Whitley, Cheshire, and at the age of fifteen spoke at the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool in 1999. She was educated at The County High School, Leftwich and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and politics from the University of York. During her undergraduate study she was involved in York Student Television.

Career

Before the election of 2015, Donelan's career outside politics was in marketing, including a time working on Marie Claire magazine and World Wrestling Entertainment. She subsequently stood for parliament at the 2010 general election in the safe Labour seat of Wentworth and Dearne, taking 7,396 votes to Labour MP John Healey's 21,316. She was then selected as the prospective parliamentary candidate for Chippenham in February 2013. After her selection at Chippenham, she became a Trustee of Help Victims of Domestic Violence, a charitable organisation based in the town and a member of the Steering Group of Wiltshire Carers. In 2013 she bought her first house, in the Chippenham town centre. She defeated incumbent Liberal Democrat member Duncan Hames with 26,354 votes to 16,278.
In July 2015, Donelan was elected onto the Education Select Committee, where she became part of the Sub-Committee on Education, Skills and the Economy in November 2015.
Before the 2016 referendum, Donelan was opposed to the UK leaving the European Union.
In June 2017, Donelan was re-elected as MP for Chippenham with 31,267 votes, a majority of 16,630 over the 14,637 Liberal Democrat votes.
Donelan was appointed an assistant whip in 2018 and a government whip in July 2019. In September 2019, she was appointed parliamentary under-secretary for children to cover maternity leave for Kemi Badenoch.
In the December 2019 general election, Donelan was re-elected with 30,994 votes, a majority of 11,288 over the 19,706 Liberal Democrat votes.
In the February 2020 cabinet reshuffle, she became Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation., her responsibilities included universities and co-chairing the Family Justice Board, which oversees the performance of the family justice system and is advised by the Family Justice Council.

Personal life

Donelan is a practising Christian.