Chris Evans (British politician)
{{Short description|Welsh Labour Co-op politician, MP for Caerphilly (born 1977)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Chris Evans
| honorific-suffix = MP
| image = Official portrait of Chris Evans crop 2.jpg
| caption = Official portrait, 2017
| office = Member of Parliament
for Caerphilly
| term_start = 4 July 2024
| termend =
| predecessor = Wayne David
| majority = 6,419 (16.8%)
| office1 = Member of Parliament
for Islwyn
| term_start1 = 6 May 2010
| termend1 = 30 May 2024
| predecessor1 = Don Touhig
| successor1 = Constituency abolished
{{collapsed infobox section begin
| last = yes
| titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| embed = yes
| subterm = 2023–2024
| suboffice = Tech and Digital Economy
| subterm1 = 2023–2023
| suboffice1 = Social Security
| subterm2 = 2021–2023
| suboffice2 = Defence Procurement
{{collapsed infobox section end}}}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|7|17|df=yes}}
| birth_name = Christopher James Evans
| birth_place = Llwynypia, Mid Glamorgan, Wales
| spouse = {{marriage|Julia Ockenden|2013}}
| party = Labour Co-op
| website = {{URL|chrisevansmp.com}}
| alma_mater = Trinity College, Carmarthen
}}
Christopher James Evans (born 17 July 1977) is a British politician serving as Member of Parliament (MP) for Caerphilly since 2024, and previously for Islwyn from 2010 to 2024. He is a member of the Labour and Co-operative parties.
Early life
Chris Evans was born on 17 July 1977 in Llwynypia, Mid Glamorgan and raised in Rhondda.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/pbc/2010-11/Pensions_Bill/06-0_2011-07-12a.2.0?s=34+speaker:24721|title=Clause 6 - Postponement or disapplication of automatic enrolment|website=TheyWorkForYou}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U251108/ |title=Chris Evans (profile) |publisher=Ukwhoswho.com |accessdate=19 April 2017 }} He graduated with a history degree from Trinity College, Carmarthen.{{cite web|url=http://www.chrisevansmp.co.uk/biography.html|title=Chris Evans biodataof|publisher=chrisevansmp.co.uk|accessdate=9 May 2015}}
At the age of 13 he suffered a serious leg injury in a road traffic collision and underwent months of recovery: he later stated that the experience, on top of the stress caused by his parents' divorce, had caused him to develop body dysmorphic disorder.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-46991474|work=BBC News|title=MP Chris Evans on body dysmorphia: 'I didn't feel good enough'|date=4 February 2019}}
Before being elected to Parliament he worked as a bookmaker, in a bank and as a trade union official. He worked as a parliamentary researcher to then-Islwyn MP Don Touhig for four years.{{cite news|url=http://ukpolitics.telegraph.co.uk/Islwyn/Chris+Evans|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722053808/http://ukpolitics.telegraph.co.uk/Islwyn/Chris+Evans|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 July 2012|publisher=telegraph.co.uk|title=Chris Evans profile|location=London, UK|accessdate=15 April 2012}}
Parliamentary career
He was the Labour candidate for Cheltenham at the 2005 general election, but lost. However, at the 2010 general election he was elected MP for the safe Labour seat of Islwyn.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/person/8686/christopher-evans|title=Christopher Evans: Electoral history and profile|newspaper=Guardian|location=Manchester, UK}}
His maiden speech focused on affordable lending and pay day loans.{{cite web|url=http://www.party.coop/2010/06/01/new-co-op-mp-calls-for-support-for-credit-unions|title=New Co-op MP calls for support for credit unions|first=Martin|last=Tiedemann|date=1 June 2010|accessdate=15 April 2012|publisher=The Cooperative Party|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304025029/http://party.coop/2010/06/01/new-co-op-mp-calls-for-support-for-credit-unions/|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}} Since being elected he has campaigned against fuel poverty{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm111026/halltext/111026h0002.htm#11102653000722|title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 26 October 2011 (pt 0002)|first=Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons|last=Westminster|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110119/halltext/110119h0001.htm#11011952000484|title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 19 January 2011 (pt 0001)|first=Department of the Official Report (Hansard), House of Commons|last=Westminster|publisher=}}{{cite web|url=http://www.epolitix.com/latestnews/article-detail/newsarticle/fuel-poverty-its-complicated |title=PoliticsHome.com | Breaking politics and political news for Westminster and the UK | PoliticsHome.com |website=Epolitix.com |date= |accessdate=19 April 2017}} and in January 2011 led a Westminster Hall debate and spoke out against energy price rises. He is also a campaigner for the introduction of a Presumption of Death Act.{{cite news|url=http://www.caerphillyobserver.co.uk/news/260933/islwyn-mp-campaigns-for-presumption-of-death-act|newspaper=Caerphilly Observer|title=Islwyn MP campaigns for Presumption of Death Act |date=6 September 2011|accessdate=15 April 2012}}
He led a Westminster Hall debate on employment opportunities for people with inflammatory bowel disease.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2012/february/westminster-hall-debates-31-january-2012|title=Westminster Hall debates: 31 January 2012|date=1 February 2012|accessdate=15 April 2012|publisher=UK Parliament}}
Evans was a member of the Justice Select Committee.{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/chris-evans/4040 |publisher=UK Parliament |title=Chris Evans |accessdate=15 April 2012}} In July 2012, after two years as an MP, he was promoted to the Shadow Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as Parliamentary Private Secretary to shadow Secretary of State Mary Creagh{{cite web|url=http://www.chrisevansmp.co.uk/news_archive_1207.html |title=Chris Evans :: Member of Parliament for Islwyn :: News |website=Chrisevansmp.co.uk |date=13 July 2016 |accessdate=19 April 2017}} Following a reshuffle in October 2013, Evans joined Labour's Shadow Treasury Team as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Chris Leslie.{{cite web |url=http://www.caerphillyobserver.co.uk/news/932812/islwyn-mps-new-shadow-treasury-role |title=Islwyn MP's new Shadow Treasury role |accessdate=7 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923195926/http://www.caerphillyobserver.co.uk/news/932812/islwyn-mps-new-shadow-treasury-role/ |archivedate=23 September 2015 |date=5 November 2013 }}
He supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace Jeremy Corbyn in the 2016 Labour Party (UK) leadership election.{{Cite web|url=https://labourlist.org/2016/07/which-mps-and-meps-have-nominated-owen-smith/|title=Full list of MPs and MEPs backing challenger Owen Smith|date=21 July 2016|website=LabourList|language=en-GB|access-date=15 July 2019}}
In March 2012, Evans introduced a ten-minute rule bill called 'The Banking Responsibility and Disclosure Bill' which aimed to tackle the growing problem of financial exclusion to ensure that banks are responsible for their actions. He has written several articles on this topic.{{cite web|url=http://www.party.coop/2012/03/22/chris-evans-mp-how-the-banks-can-tackle-financial-exclusion/ |title=Chris Evans MP: How the banks can tackle financial exclusion – The Co-operative Party |website=Party.coop |date=22 March 2012 |accessdate=19 April 2017}}
On 19 January 2012, Evans said that he had been attacked by a dog which left a one-inch scar on his middle finger as he called on the government to take action against irresponsible dog owners.{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2012-01-19a.873.1|title=Topical Questions — Environment, Food and Rural Affairs|publisher=They Work For You|date=19 January 2012|accessdate=15 April 2012}} Since then, he has been campaigning to promote responsible dog ownership.[http://www.caerphillyobserver.co.uk/news/585462/chris-evans-mp-on-why-dangerous-dog-laws-need-to-go-further "Why dangerous dog laws need to go further], Caerphillyobserver.co.uk; accessed 9 May 2015. In May 2012 he held a Westminster Hall debate on dangerous dog legislation and called on the government to introduce the compulsory microchipping of all dogs, recorded by a single national database.[http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2012/may/westminster-hall-debates-23-may-2012 23 May 2012 debates], Parliament.uk; accessed 9 May 2015.{{update inline|date=July 2021}}
In 2013, Evans launched a work experience program in Islwyn to help combat the problem of youth unemployment. Working alongside 200 local businesses, the scheme offers 6–8 week work placements for 18 to 24-year-olds out of work. The Islwyn Work Experience Programme is voluntary with applicants receiving additional help from Job Centre Plus to continue looking for permanent work.[http://www.campaignseries.co.uk/news/campaign_news/10458522.New_scheme_to_give_help_to_young_jobless_in_Islwyn/?ref=nt Islwyn Work Experience Programme], Campaignseries.co.uk; accessed 9 May 2015. It was launched alongside local businesses at a media event at the Crosskeys campus of Coleg Gwent.{{cite web |url=http://www.itv.com/news/wales/topic/islwyn |title=Islwyn | Wales - ITV News |website=Itv.com |date=7 June 2013 |accessdate=19 April 2017 |archive-date=1 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701202344/http://www.itv.com/news/wales/topic/islwyn/ |url-status=dead }}
In September 2020, Evans was appointed a vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk/labour-friends-of-israel-announces-six-new-vice-chairs-1.506332|title=Labour Friends of Israel announces six new vice-chairs|last=Harpin|first=Lee|date=9 September 2020|accessdate=9 September 2020|work=The jewish Chronicle}}
With his constituency being abolished by the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, Evans intends to contest Caerphilly at the 2024 general election.{{Cite web |last=Service |first=Rhiannon James-Local Democracy Reporting |date=2023-06-12 |title=Islwyn MP Chris Evans set to be Labour's Caerphilly candidate at next General Election |url=https://caerphilly.observer/news/1022334/islwyn-mp-chris-evans-to-stand-in-caerphilly/ |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=Caerphilly Observer |language=en-GB}}
=Labour Frontbench=
Evans was promoted to the position of Shadow Minister for Defence Procurement in the minor May 2021 reshuffle, filling the vacant position following Khalid Mahmood's resignation a month earlier.{{Cite web|last=Rodgers|first=Sienna|title=Reshuffle: Keir Starmer's new Labour frontbench in full|url=https://labourlist.org/2021/05/reshuffle-keir-starmers-new-labour-frontbench-in-full/|access-date=15 May 2021|website=LabourList|date=14 May 2021 |language=en-GB}} This role shadows the Minister for Defence Procurement at the Ministry of Defence who has responsibility for the Defence Equipment Plan, relations with the defence industry and exports, science and technology.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chrisevansmp.com/shadow-defence-procurement/|title=Shadow Defence Procurement|accessdate=26 March 2023}} Evans has been a member of Labour's Shadow Defence Team since 2020 when he became Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence.
In the 2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle, he became Shadow Minister for Social Security.{{Cite web |title=Meet our Shadow Cabinet |url=https://labour.org.uk/people/shadow-cabinet/ |access-date=2023-09-08 |website=The Labour Party |language=en}}
Personal life
Evans married Julia Ockenden, a former head of public affairs at the BBC, in December 2013.{{Cite news|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/10896393.islwyn-mp-weds-former-bbc-public-relations-chief/|title=Islwyn MP Chris Evans weds former BBC public relations chief Julia Ockenden at Our Lady & St Michael's church in Abergavenny|work=South Wales Argus|date=23 December 2013|access-date=4 February 2019}}
He is a published author whose work includes biographies of football manager Don Revie and boxer Freddie Mills.{{cite book |last1=Evans |first1=Chris |title=Fearless Freddie |date=July 2017 |publisher=Pitch Publishing Limited |isbn=978-1785312823}}{{cite book |last1=Evans |first1=Christopher |title=Don Revie: The Biography: Shortlisted for THE SUNDAY TIMES Sports Book Awards 2022 |date=21 December 2021 |publisher=Bloomsbury USA |isbn=978-1472973368}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{UK MP links | parliament = chris-evans/4040 | hansard = | hansardcurr = 5718 | guardian = 8686/christopher-evans | publicwhip = Chris_Evans | theywork = chris_evans | record = Chris-Evans/Islwyn/1346 | bbc = 84900.stm | journalisted = }}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=Don Touhig}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for Islwyn|years=2010–2024}}
{{s-non|reason=Constituency abolished}}
{{s-bef|before=Wayne David}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament for Caerphilly|years=2024–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}{{Labour Party UK MPs}}{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Evans, Chris}}