Gillian Keegan

Gillian Gibson was born in Leigh, Lancashire,{{cite web |title=About Gillian |url=https://www.gilliankeegan.com/about-gillian |work=Gillian Keegan |access-date=14 February 2022 |archive-date=16 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216003640/https://www.gilliankeegan.com/about-gillian |url-status=live }} to an office manager father and a mother who did secretarial work.{{cite news |title=Profile: Gillian Keegan |url=https://feweek.co.uk/profile-gillian-keegan/ |access-date=15 February 2022 |work=FE Week |archive-date=16 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220216003640/https://feweek.co.uk/profile-gillian-keegan/ |url-status=live }} She went to primary school in Yorkshire, and grew up in Knowsley, Merseyside, going to St Augustine of Canterbury Secondary School in Huyton. She was the only pupil to get 10 O-Levels at her school. Keegan started her career aged 16 as an apprentice at the AC Delco motor vehicle components factory in Kirkby.

She then studied Business Studies at Liverpool John Moores University, graduating with a bachelor's degree. Keegan also graduated with a Master of Science in Strategy and Leadership (Sloan Fellowship) from the London Business School in 2011.{{cite web |url=https://www.women2win.com/person/gillian-keegan |title=Gillian Keegan |website=Women2win.com |access-date=9 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731150353/https://www.women2win.com/person/gillian-keegan |archive-date=31 July 2017 |url-status=dead }}

After university, Keegan had a business career working at Delco Electronics (part of the General Motors Group), NatWest Bank (senior buyer), MasterCard International (commercial director), Amadeus IT Group (group vice president of Multinational Customer Group based in Madrid) and Travelport (chief marketing officer){{cite news |author= |date=18 January 2011 |title=Gillian Gibson Named to Travelport Post |url=http://www.travelagentcentral.com/running-your-business/gillian-gibson-named-to-travelport-post |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917075754/http://www.travelagentcentral.com/running-your-business/gillian-gibson-named-to-travelport-post |archive-date=17 September 2017 |access-date=17 September 2017 |work=Travel Agent Central |publisher=Questex |type=Press release}} for over 27 years.

Keegan has said that it was her experiences of trade unionism and the Militant-controlled Liverpool City Council while working in Kirkby in her youth during the 1980s that convinced her to support the Conservative Party. However, she did not become active in politics until 2014.{{cite news |work=The Telegraph |date=6 May 2017 |title='Theresa factor' credited with surge in women candidates as party looks set to make history by securing more women MPs than ever before |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/06/theresa-factor-credited-surge-women-candidates-party-looks-set/ |first=Ben |last=Riley-Smith |access-date=14 October 2017 |archive-date=9 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409103612/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/06/theresa-factor-credited-surge-women-candidates-party-looks-set/ |url-status=live }} In 2015, she was advised to become an MP by Justine Greening, whom she had met at a London Business School (LBS) reunion. Keegan has said that this demonstrated the power of the LBS network.{{cite web |url=https://www.london.edu/experience/student-life/profiles/gillian-keegan#.WeJh93BrzxM |work=London Business School |title=Gillian Keegan |access-date=14 October 2017 |archive-date=15 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015003951/https://www.london.edu/experience/student-life/profiles/gillian-keegan#.WeJh93BrzxM |url-status=live }}

Keegan was elected as a councillor for the Rogate ward on Chichester District Council in 2014.{{cite news |date=3 May 2017 |title=Conservative's bid to be Chichester's first female MP |url=http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/politics/conservative-s-bid-to-be-chichester-s-first-female-mp-1-7945077 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613172846/http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/politics/conservative-s-bid-to-be-chichester-s-first-female-mp-1-7945077 |archive-date=13 June 2017 |access-date=9 June 2017 |newspaper=Chichester Observer}} She was appointed cabinet member for commercial services in May 2015.{{cite web |title=New cabinet is announced at Chichester District Council |url=http://www.chichester.gov.uk/article/26225/New-cabinet-is-announced-at-Chichester-District-Council |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171014235807/http://www.chichester.gov.uk/article/26225/New-cabinet-is-announced-at-Chichester-District-Council |archive-date=14 October 2017 |access-date=14 October 2017 |work=Chichester District Council}} She stood down as a councillor in February 2018, once elected to Parliament.

At the 2015 general election, Keegan stood in St Helens South and Whiston, coming second with 15.9% of the vote behind the Labour candidate Marie Rimmer.{{cite web |title=Election Data 2015 |url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017112223/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_2015.txt |archive-date=17 October 2015 |access-date=17 October 2015 |publisher=Electoral Calculus}}{{cite news |title=St Helens South & Whiston |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000963 |access-date=10 May 2015 |publisher=BBC News}}

After the election, she became director of Women2Win{{mdash}}an organisation founded by Theresa May and Anne Jenkin, Baroness Jenkin of Kennington in 2005 to help elect more women Conservative MPs to Parliament.{{cite web |url=http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2017/05/keegan-selected-in-chichester.html |title=Keegan selected in Chichester |work=ConservativeHome |first=Mark |last=Wallace |date=2 May 2017 |access-date=9 June 2017 |archive-date=8 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608190604/http://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2017/05/keegan-selected-in-chichester.html |url-status=live }} She left the position in September 2017, having been elected to Parliament.{{cite web|title=Gillian Keegan MP featured in The Times 'Back to Westminster' series|url=https://www.women2win.com/news/gillian-keegan-mp-featured-times-back-westminster-series|website=Women2win.com|date=11 September 2017|access-date=20 October 2017|archive-date=1 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001064926/https://www.women2win.com/news/gillian-keegan-mp-featured-times-back-westminster-series|url-status=live}}

Keegan was selected as the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Chichester in May 2017. At the snap 2017 general election, she was elected to Parliament as MP for Chichester with 60.1% of the vote and a majority of 22,621.{{cite web |title=Statement of Persons Nominated and Notice of Poll |url=http://www.chichester.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=28113&p=0 |access-date=26 May 2017 |archive-date=14 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614155220/http://www.chichester.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=28113&p=0 |url-status=dead }} She is the constituency's first female MP.

In September 2017, she was appointed to the Public Accounts Committee.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/membership/|title=Membership – Public Accounts Committee|work=UK Parliament|access-date=17 September 2017|archive-date=18 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171118192341/http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/membership/|url-status=live}}

In February 2019, Keegan was appointed as MP Apprenticeship Ambassador by Anne Milton, with responsibility to support apprenticeship schemes and promote them both within Parliament and to businesses within the UK, working alongside the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network consisting of various advocates of apprenticeship schemes.{{cite web|url=https://www.chi.ac.uk/news/revolution-south-coast-university-opens-degree-apprentices|work=University of Chichester|date=5 March 2019|title=A REVOLUTION ON THE SOUTH COAST – UNIVERSITY OPENS TO DEGREE APPRENTICES|access-date=27 April 2019|archive-date=27 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427190649/https://www.chi.ac.uk/news/revolution-south-coast-university-opens-degree-apprentices|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.chichester.co.uk/news/education/chichester-mp-appointed-as-apprenticeship-ambassador-1-8813000|title=Chichester MP appointed as Apprenticeship Ambassador|newspaper=Chichester Observer|date=15 February 2019|access-date=27 April 2019|archive-date=15 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190215213228/https://www.chichester.co.uk/news/education/chichester-mp-appointed-as-apprenticeship-ambassador-1-8813000|url-status=live}}

Keegan endorsed Rory Stewart during the 2019 Conservative Party leadership election.{{cite news |last1=Powling |first1=Joshua |date=12 June 2019 |title=Chichester's MP announces who she is backing for Tory leader |url=https://www.chichester.co.uk/news/politics/chichester-s-mp-announces-who-she-is-backing-for-tory-leader-1-8961040 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612111923/https://www.chichester.co.uk/news/politics/chichester-s-mp-announces-who-she-is-backing-for-tory-leader-1-8961040 |archive-date=12 June 2019 |access-date=17 June 2019 |work=Chichester Observer}}

At the 2019 general election, Keegan was re-elected as MP for Chichester with a decreased vote share of 57.8% and a decreased majority of 21,490.{{Cite web |title=Archived copy |url=https://www.chichester.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=32638&p=0 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613231857/https://www.chichester.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=32638&p=0 |archive-date=13 June 2020 |access-date=15 November 2019}} However, at the 2024 general election, Chichester had the third largest Conservative to Liberal Democrat swing in the country, with an increase of 28.9% for the Liberal Democrats,{{Cite web |title=General election 2024 results |url=https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10009/ |website=parliament.uk}} leaving her in second place with a decreased vote share of 25.7%.{{Cite news |title=Chichester - General election results 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001166 |access-date=2024-08-19 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

Keegan was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to HM Treasury in September 2018.{{cite news | last = Powling | first = Joshua | title = Chichester MP promoted to treasury role | url = https://www.chichester.co.uk/news/chichester-mp-promoted-to-treasury-role-1-8633953 | work = Chichester Observer | date = 13 September 2018 | access-date = 26 October 2018 | archive-date = 26 October 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181026222417/https://www.chichester.co.uk/news/chichester-mp-promoted-to-treasury-role-1-8633953 | url-status = live }} In January 2019, she became PPS to the Secretary of State for Defence.{{cite web|url=https://www.chichester.co.uk/news/politics/ministry-of-defence-role-for-chichester-mp-1-8766732|title=Ministry of Defence role for Chichester MP|work=Chichester Observer|date=11 January 2019|access-date=16 February 2022|archive-date=16 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416044639/https://www.chichester.co.uk/news/politics/ministry-of-defence-role-for-chichester-mp-1-8766732|url-status=live}} She became PPS to the Home Secretary in May 2019.{{cite web|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/810316/PARLIAMENTARY_PRIVATE_SECRETARIES_-_JUNE_2019-.pdf|title=Parliamentary Private Secretaries|work=GOV.UK|date=June 2019|access-date=5 August 2019|archive-date=24 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190724163035/https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/810316/PARLIAMENTARY_PRIVATE_SECRETARIES_-_JUNE_2019-.pdf|url-status=live}} She became PPS to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in September 2019.

In February 2020, Keegan was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills, a junior ministerial role at the Department for Education,{{cite news |last1=Camden |first1=Billy |title=Gillian Keegan appointed apprenticeships and skills minister |url=https://feweek.co.uk/2020/02/17/gillian-keegan-appointed-apprenticeships-and-skills-minister/ |access-date=25 July 2020 |work=FE Week |date=17 February 2020 |archive-date=25 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725203028/https://feweek.co.uk/2020/02/17/gillian-keegan-appointed-apprenticeships-and-skills-minister/ |url-status=live }} and was the first former apprentice to hold the office.{{cite web|title=Five young women set out their stall for improving apprenticeship take-up with Skills Minister Gillian Keegan|url=https://www.fenews.co.uk/press-releases/63164-five-young-women-set-out-their-stall-for-improving-apprenticeship-take-up-with-skills-minister-gillian-keegan|date=10 February 2021|access-date=11 February 2021|author=Careers and Enterprise Company|work=FE News|archive-date=11 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211093659/https://www.fenews.co.uk/press-releases/63164-five-young-women-set-out-their-stall-for-improving-apprenticeship-take-up-with-skills-minister-gillian-keegan|url-status=live}}

In August 2020, Keegan was criticised for being on holiday during the GCSE and A-level grading controversy. She defended herself by stating that she was not the minister responsible for A-level and GCSE qualifications. She said that although she had been the duty minister for the first two weeks of summer recess, she had obtained special permission to take her government computer with her to continue working during this period.{{cite web|title=Chichester MP explains decision to go abroad on holiday during exam season|first=Joshua|last=Powling|date=27 August 2020|url=https://www.chichester.co.uk/news/politics/chichester-mp-explains-decision-go-abroad-holiday-during-exam-season-2954353|access-date=30 August 2020|work=Sussex Express|archive-date=28 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828004721/https://www.chichester.co.uk/news/politics/chichester-mp-explains-decision-go-abroad-holiday-during-exam-season-2954353|url-status=live}}

In the September 2021 reshuffle, Keegan was appointed Minister of State for Care and Mental Health.{{cite web|title=Minister of State (Minister for Care)|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state--60|access-date=16 September 2021|work=GOV.UK|archive-date=22 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922153307/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/minister-of-state--60|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-september-2021|title=Ministerial appointments: September 2021|date=16 September 2021|work=GOV.UK|access-date=16 February 2022|archive-date=17 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917165312/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ministerial-appointments-september-2021|url-status=live}} Following Boris Johnson's resignation as prime minister, Keegan released a statement in which she praised the prime minister's leadership.{{cite news|url=https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/politics/chichester-mp-responds-to-boris-johnsons-resignation-and-will-remain-in-government-3760530|title=Chichester MP responds to Boris Johnson's resignation and will remain in government|newspaper=Chichester Observer|author=Joshua Powling|date=7 July 2022|access-date=7 July 2022|archive-date=7 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707175635/https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/politics/chichester-mp-responds-to-boris-johnsons-resignation-and-will-remain-in-government-3760530|url-status=live}}

Keegan endorsed Rishi Sunak in the July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election{{cite web |title=Gillian backs Rishi Sunak for Leader |url=https://www.gilliankeegan.com/Ready4Rishi |website=gilliankeegan.com/}} and was subsequently demoted when Liz Truss became prime minister in September 2022, serving as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa.

File:Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan. (52453877824).jpg

Keegan again endorsed Sunak in the October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election and was appointed Secretary of State for Education.{{cite web |title=Gillian Keegan MP |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/gillian-keegan |access-date=9 September 2022 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}} She was sworn as a member of the Privy Council on 27 October 2022.{{cite web|url=https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2022-10-27-List-of-Business.pdf|title=ORDERS APPROVED AND BUSINESS TRANSACTED AT THE PRIVY COUNCIL HELD BY THE KING AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE ON 27TH OCTOBER 2022|website=Privycouncil.independent.gov.uk|access-date=8 September 2023}}

On 5 January 2023, Keegan represented the British government at the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI.{{cite web |last=Etchingham |first=Julie |date=5 January 2023 |title=The sound of Bavarian drumming fills the air ahead of Pope's funeral |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2023-01-05/pope-benedict-xvi-funeral-hundreds-of-thousands-are-expected-to-attend |access-date=5 January 2023 |website=ITV News |language=en}}

In July 2023, Keegan was reported to have suggested that headteachers should collect absent pupils from home in order to return them to school.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/14/gillian-keegan-headteachers-pick-up-truants-homes-education/ |title=Headteachers should pick up truants from their homes, says Gillian Keegan |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=14 July 2023 |access-date=14 July 2023}} This led to criticism from some school leaders.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/jul/14/education-secretary-accused-of-being-flippant-over-absent-pupils-in-england |title=Education secretary accused of being 'flippant' over absent pupils in England |work=The Guardian |date=14 July 2023 |access-date=14 July 2023}}

Following an interview on 4 September 2023 with ITV News about the RAAC crisis in a number of schools in England, Keegan, believing the recording had ended, remarked: "Does anyone ever say 'you know what, you've done a fucking good job [be]cause everyone else has sat on their arse and done nothing'? No signs of that, no?". She later apologised for using profanity and described it as "off the cuff" and "unnecessary".{{cite news |title=Gillian Keegan recorded saying others 'have been sat on their a***s' on school Raac crisis |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2023-09-04/keegan-recorded-saying-others-have-been-sat-on-their-as-on-raac-crisis |work=ITV News |date=4 September 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/sep/04/concrete-crisis-education-secretary-says-everyone-else-has-sat-on-their-arse|title=Gillian Keegan caught saying 'everyone else has sat on arse' over concrete crisis|date=4 September 2023|newspaper=The Guardian}}{{cite news |first=Kate |last=Whammel |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66709282 |title=Gillian Keegan apologises for swearing over school concrete crisis |work=BBC News |date=4 September 2023 |access-date=4 September 2023}} Keegan said that she did not expect to be personally thanked for her performance and that it was instead a reference to the Department for Education's "leadership role" in the crisis. Earlier that day, it was revealed that the DfE had spent £32 million refurbishing its office space in Whitehall. During an interview, Keegan appeared to be unaware of these costs.{{cite news|url=https://news.sky.com/story/education-secretary-gillian-keegan-didnt-know-about-32m-spending-on-departmental-office-refurbishment-12954848|title=Education Secretary Gillian Keegan 'didn't know' about £32m spending on departmental office refurbishment|website=Sky News|date=4 September 2023}}{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/education-secretary-under-fire-for-alleged-ps34m-refurb-as-schools-crumble_uk_64f58381e4b0fd0c80fd0aae|title=Kay Burley Calls Out Education Secretary Over Department's Alleged £34m Refurb As Schools Crumble|author=Kate Nicholson|date=4 September 2023|website=HuffPost}}

Keegan lives in Petworth in West Sussex with her second husband, Michael, and has two stepsons.{{cite web |date=23 December 2022 |title=About Gillian: Gillian Keegan |url=https://www.gilliankeegan.com/about-gillian |access-date=23 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223143857/https://www.gilliankeegan.com/about-gillian |archive-date=23 December 2022 }}

Michael Keegan is a former Head of Fujitsu UK and Ireland, appointed in 2014. He later had a role as a crown representative to the Cabinet Office, managing cross-government relationships with BAE Systems as a strategic supplier to the Government.{{Cite web |date=5 September 2022 |title=Firm linked with Tory minister's husband 'awarded £24m' in taxpayers' cash |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/20904624.ministry-defence-awarded-24m-taxpayers-cash-tory-minister-linked-centerprise-international/ |access-date=29 January 2024 |website=The National |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=8 September 2022 |title=Cabinet Office denies conflict over crown rep's role at MoD supplier |work=Civil Service World |url=https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/michael-keegan-bae-systems-centreprise-mod-supplier-ned-no-conflict-contracts |access-date=5 January 2023}} In January 2024 he resigned from his part-time government role during a period of intense scrutiny into the role of Fujitsu and its Horizon software in the Post Office Scandal.{{Cite news |title=Education Secretary's Husband Resigns |work=BBC News |date=26 January 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68106040}}

Keegan and her husband jointly own a house in Petworth, a flat in London, a property in France and a house in Andalusia, Spain.{{Cite web |title=Register of MP interestst |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/4680/registeredinterests}}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{UK MP links |parliament=gillian-keegan/4680 |publicwhip=Gillian_Keegan |theywork=gillian_keegan}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|uk}}

{{s-bef|before=Andrew Tyrie}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament
for Chichester|years=2017–2024}}

{{s-aft|after=Jess Brown-Fuller}}

{{s-off}}

{{s-bef|before=Anne Milton}}

{{s-ttl|title=Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills|years=2020–2021}}

{{s-aft|after=Alex Burghart}}

{{s-bef|before=Helen Whately
{{small|As Minister of State for Social Care}}
Nadine Dorries
{{small|As Minister of State for Patient Safety, Suicide Prevention and Mental Health}}}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister of State for Care and Mental Health|years=2021–2022}}

{{s-vac|rows=2}}

{{s-bef|before=Vicky Ford|as=Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean}}

{{s-ttl|title=Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa|years=2022}}

{{s-bef|before=Kit Malthouse}}

{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of State for Education|years=2022–2024}}

{{s-aft|after=Bridget Phillipson}}

{{s-end}}

{{Sunak Cabinet}}

{{Secretaries of State for Education}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keegan, Gillian}}

Category:1968 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century British women politicians

Category:Alumni of Liverpool John Moores University

Category:British Secretaries of State for Education

Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies

Category:Female members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies

Category:London Business School Sloan Fellows

Category:People from Knowsley, Merseyside

Category:People from Petworth

Category:UK councillors 2014–2018

Category:UK MPs 2017–2019

Category:UK MPs 2019–2024

Category:21st-century English women

Category:21st-century English politicians

Category:Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom

Category:Women government ministers in the United Kingdom