Emma Hardy
{{Short description|British Labour politician, MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle}}
{{about||the British photographer|Emma Hardy (photographer)|the wife of English writer Thomas Hardy|Emma Gifford}}
{{third-party|date=December 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Emma Hardy
| honorific-suffix = MP
| image = Official portrait of Emma Hardy MP crop 2.jpg
| office = Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Water and Flooding
| term_start = 9 July 2024
| primeminister = Keir Starmer
| predecessor = Robbie Moore
| office1 = Shadow Minister for Environmental Quality and Resilience
| leader1 = Keir Starmer
| predecessor1 = Office established
| term_start1 = 5 September 2023
| term_end1 = 5 July 2024
| office2 = Shadow Minister for Further Education and Universities
| leader2 = Jeremy Corbyn
Keir Starmer
| predecessor2 = Gordon Marsden
| successor2 = Matt Western
| term_start2 = 7 January 2020
| term_end2 = 8 March 2021
| office3 = Member of Parliament
for Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice
{{nobold|Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle (2017–2024)}}
| term_start3 = 8 June 2017
| term_end3 =
| predecessor3 = Alan Johnson
| successor3 =
| majority3 = 8,979 (23.5%)
| office4 =
| term_start4 =
| term_end4 =
| predecessor4 =
| successor4 =
| majority4 =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|7|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place = North Newbald, Humberside, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| resting_place =
| citizenship =
| nationality = British
| party = Labour
| otherparty =
| residence =
| profession = Politician
| known_for =
| awards =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| alma_mater = University of Liverpool
University of Leeds
| website = {{Official website|https://www.emmahardy.org.uk/}}
| footnotes =
| caption = Official portrait, 2020
}}
Emma Ann Hardy{{London Gazette |issue=61961 |date=19 June 2017 |page=11781}} (born 17 July 1979) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Water and Flooding since July 2024.{{cite web |title=Ministerial Appointments: July 2024 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-july-2024 |access-date=17 July 2024 |website=GOV.UK }} She was previously the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle{{cite news|title=Election 2017: Hull West & Hessle|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000773|work=BBC News|date = 9 June 2017|access-date=9 June 2017}} until the 2024 general election and is the current Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice.{{cite news |title=Hull West & Haltemprice – General election results 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001315 |access-date=6 July 2024 |work=BBC News }} Until May 2019, she was also a member of Hessle Town Council focusing on NHS and education.{{cite news | title = Labour's Emma Hardy on why she wants to be Hull's next MP | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170428090331/http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/labour-s-emma-hardy-on-why-she-wants-to-be-hull-s-next-mp/story-30299075-detail/story.html | archive-date = 28 April 2017 |url= http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/labour-s-emma-hardy-on-why-she-wants-to-be-hull-s-next-mp/story-30299075-detail/story.html |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=28 April 2017 |access-date=8 June 2017}} Hardy is a member of Labour's National Policy Forum and was an education union employee.{{cite news | last = Bean | first = Emma | title = Councillor and GMB officer chosen for two Labour strongholds in Yorkshire |url=http://labourlist.org/2017/04/hull-west-and-hessle-and-barnsley-east-candidates-selected/ |work=LabourList |date= 26 April 2017|access-date=8 June 2017}}
Early life and education
Emma Hardy was brought up in North Newbald, Humberside, a few miles from the Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice constituency she now represents in Parliament. She attended Wyke Sixth Form College to study her A-Levels before studying for an undergraduate degree in Politics at the University of Liverpool, graduating in 2001. She then completed a PGCE at the University of Leeds in 2004, and taught for over ten years at Willerby Carr Lane Primary School.{{cite web|url=https://www.emmahardy.org.uk/biography/|title=Biography – Emma Hardy MP|website=www.emmahardy.org.uk|access-date=3 December 2018}}
Hardy became politically active in 2011, after joining a campaign protesting against school cuts and meeting Alan Johnson, the then-MP for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle. She left teaching in 2015 to become a full-time organiser for the National Union of Teachers, and served as Deputy General Secretary of the Socialist Educational Association before being elected to Parliament.{{cite news |title=Congratulations to SEA Deputy General Secretary Emma Hardy selected as Labour candidate for Hull West and Hessle |url=https://socialisteducationalassociation.org/2017/05/02/congratulations-to-sea-deputy-general-secretary-emma-hardy-selected-as-labour-candidate-for-hull-west-and-hessle/ |access-date=9 March 2019 |work=Socialist Educational Association |date=2 May 2017}}
Parliamentary career
Hardy was selected as the Labour Party's prospective parliamentary candidate for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle after the then-MP, Alan Johnson, announced his retirement just weeks before the general election in 2017.{{cite news|url=http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/emma-hardy-whirlwind-start-life-107775|title=Emma Hardy on her whirlwind start to life as Hull's newest MP|last=Daly|first=Patrick|date=13 June 2017|work=Hull Daily Mail|access-date=6 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806035712/http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/emma-hardy-whirlwind-start-life-107775|archive-date=6 August 2017}} She was one of 256 women candidates put forward by the Labour Party at that election,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-39949042|title=Election 2017: How many women might win power?|last=Lowther|first=Ed|date=18 May 2017|work=BBC News|access-date=9 June 2017}} and was elected on 9 June 2017, with a majority of 8,025.
Hardy has sat on the House of Commons Education Select Committee. from 11 September 2017 to 6 November 2019 and the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee from 20 April 2021 to 11 March 2024.{{cite web |title=Parliamentary career for Emma Hardy – MPs and Lords – UK Parliament |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4645/career |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=UK Parliament}}
From 2017 to 2020, Hardy served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Keir Starmer in his role as Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.
Hardy was Joint Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Endometriosis{{cite web |date=24 January 2024 |title=House of Commons – register of All-Party Parliamentary Groups as at 24 January 2024: Endometriosis |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/240124/endometriosis.htm |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=publications.parliament.uk}} and worked closely with the women's health charity Endometriosis UK to push for "menstrual wellbeing" to be included as part of the sex and relationship education in schools.{{cite news |url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/model-says-horrible-doctors-hull-2022557 |title=Model claims 'horrible' doctors at Hull hospital 'accused her of lying about agonising pain' |work=Hull Daily Mail |access-date=25 March 2019}} On 25 February 2019, the UK government announced that menstrual wellbeing would be included in the curriculum going forward.{{cite web |url=https://www.endometriosis-uk.org/news/menstrual-wellbeing-be-taught-schools-2020-37568#.XJishyj7SUk |title= Menstrual wellbeing to be taught in schools by 2020|publisher=Endometriosis UK |access-date=25 March 2019}} She continues to work with local charity HEY Endo to enable better recognition of endometriosis in the workplace.{{cite news |date=20 September 2024 |title=Endometriosis work charter for Hull and East Yorkshire |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn4yv5dy4vgo |access-date=10 December 2024 |work=BBC News}}
Hardy was also the Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Mesh,{{cite web |url=https://www.emmahardy.org.uk/2018/04/18/mesh-surgery-failure-is-costing-the-nhs-millions-of-pounds/ |title=Mesh Surgery Failure is costing the NHS Millions of pounds – Emma Hardy MP |website=www.emmahardy.org.uk |date=18 April 2018 |access-date=4 December 2018}} and campaigned to suspend the use of vaginal surgical mesh in the NHS. In October 2018, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) declared that vaginal mesh surgery should only be used as a "last resort" to treat pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence.{{cite web|url=https://www.nhs.uk/news/medical-practice/vaginal-mesh-surgery-should-be-last-resort-says-nice/|title=Vaginal mesh surgery should be a last resort, says NICE|website=nhs.uk|access-date=4 December 2018|archive-date=5 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205003228/https://www.nhs.uk/news/medical-practice/vaginal-mesh-surgery-should-be-last-resort-says-nice/|url-status=dead}}
Hardy campaigned locally in her constituency to secure the funding for the A63 Castle Street development, prevent any further delays and ensure a bridge was built as soon as possible. Following delays to the project, building of the bridge started in October 2018,{{cite news|url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/a63-work-footbridge-princes-quay-1966378|title=New images show £11.5m A63 footbridge as work to start VERY soon|last=Young|first=Angus|date=3 September 2018|work= Hull Daily Mail|access-date=4 December 2018}} and it opened to the public in March 2021.{{cite web |date=1 March 2021 |title=One giant leap for Hull as Murdoch's Connection is unveiled |url=https://news.hull.gov.uk/01/03/2021/one-giant-leap-for-hull-as-murdochs-connection-is-unveiled/ |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=HullCCNews}} Preparation for the A63 road development commenced in October 2020 with the exhumation of 19,000 bodies from the Trinity Burial Ground.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-54571126|title=Hull A63 Castle Street scheme: Huge tents erected for exhumation|date=16 October 2020|work=BBC News|access-date=24 January 2021}}
Hardy also lobbied successfully to bring money to Hull for a new Children and Adolescent Mental Health Unit. The money was agreed by the Government in July 2018{{cite news|url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/last-hulls-new-78m-mental-1751486|title=Hull is finally getting a mental health unit for young people|last=Young|first=Angus|date=5 July 2018|work=Hull Daily Mail|access-date=4 December 2018}} and the project was finally completed in January 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/mental-health-unit-teen-nhs-3725043|title=Inside Hull's stunning new unit for teenagers with mental health issues|last=Young|first=Angus|date=10 January 2020|work=Hull Daily Mail|access-date=14 January 2020}}
In January 2020, Hardy was appointed to Labour's frontbench as a Shadow Education Minister, succeeding Gordon Marsden, who lost his seat in the 2019 general election.{{cite news |last1=Parker |first1=Kate |title=Emma Hardy appointed shadow FE and HE minister |url=https://www.tes.com/news/emma-hardy-appointed-shadow-fe-and-he-minister |access-date=7 January 2020 |work=Tes |date=7 January 2019}}
Hardy nominated Keir Starmer in the 2020 Labour Party leadership election and Angela Rayner in the deputy leadership election.{{cite web |title=Labour Party Leader – Current Nominations |url=https://labour.org.uk/people/leadership-2020-nominations/leadership-2020/ |website=Labour Party |access-date=9 January 2020}}{{cite web |title=Labour Party Deputy Leader – Current Nominations |url=https://labour.org.uk/people/leadership-2020-nominations/deputy-leadership-2020/ |website=Labour Party |access-date=9 January 2020}}
In March 2021 Hardy resigned from her role as a Shadow Education Minister, being succeeded by Matt Western.{{cite news|url=https://labourlist.org/2021/03/matt-western-promoted-after-emma-hardy-quits-as-shadow-universities-minister/|title=Matt Western promoted after Emma Hardy quits as shadow universities minister|work=LabourList|last=Rodgers|first=Sienna|date=8 March 2021|access-date=8 March 2021}} She cited an increase in constituency work due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news|date=8 March 2021|title=Emma Hardy MP quits shadow minster role over Covid workload|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-humber-56326939|access-date=9 March 2021}}
Hardy campaigned for better flood prevention, protections and insurance, presenting a ten minute rule Bill, Flooding (Prevention and Insurance) on 16 November 2021,{{cite web |title=Flooding (Prevention and Insurance) |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-11-16/debates/2F51E3DE-924E-4F99-BB24-B9029EBDE5BC/Flooding(PreventionAndInsurance)?highlight=flooding%20emma%20hardy#contribution-D72AD8D7-8190-4B6C-AA05-EC076488768C |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=Hansard}} referencing the 2007 floods which devastated parts of Hull and the East Riding.{{cite web |date=25 June 2017 |title=The 'forgotten city' of the 2007 summer floods |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-40380693 |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=BBC News}}
In the 2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle, she returned to the frontbench as Shadow Minister for Flooding, Oceans and Coastal Communities.{{cite web |title=Parliamentary career for Emma Hardy |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4645/career |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=UK Parliament}}
In the 4 July 2024 general election, she was elected as Member of Parliament for the constituency of Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice with a majority of 8,979 on a turnout of 52.1%.{{cite web |title=Last election result for Emma Hardy – MPs and Lords – UK Parliament |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4645/electionresult |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=members.parliament.uk }}
Hardy was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Water and Flooding) at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 9 July 2024.{{cite web |title=Emma Hardy MP |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/emma-hardy |access-date=10 December 2024 |website=GOV.UK }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Emma Hardy}}
- {{UK MP links |parliament=emma-hardy/4645 |publicwhip=Emma_Hardy |theywork=emma_hardy}}
{{S-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Alan Johnson}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle|years=2017–2024}}
{{s-non|reason=Constituency abolished}}
|-
{{s-new|constituency}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice|years=2024–present}}
{{s-inc}}
{{S-end}}
{{Labour Party UK MPs}}{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hardy, Emma}}
Category:Schoolteachers from Yorkshire
Category:Labour Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
Category:21st-century British women politicians
Category:English trade unionists
Category:Labour Party (UK) councillors
Category:Councillors in the East Riding of Yorkshire
Category:Alumni of the University of Liverpool
Category:Alumni of the University of Leeds
Category:21st-century English women
Category:21st-century English politicians
Category:Women councillors in England