Jonathan Gullis

Jonathan Gullis was born on 9 January 1990 in Salisbury. He attended Princethorpe College, an independent school near Rugby.{{Cite web|title=New MP Jonathan Gullis Pays Tribute To His Princethorpe Teacher|url=https://connect.princethorpe.co.uk/news/old-princethorpians-news/45/45-New-MP-Jonathan-Gullis-Pays-Tribute-To-His-Princethorpe-Teacher|date=27 January 2020|website=Princethorpe Connect|language=en|access-date=25 May 2020|archive-date=9 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509164701/https://connect.princethorpe.co.uk/news/old-princethorpians-news/45/45-New-MP-Jonathan-Gullis-Pays-Tribute-To-His-Princethorpe-Teacher|url-status=dead}} He studied International Relations with Law at Oxford Brookes University and obtained a PGCE in secondary citizenship at the Institute of Education (now part of UCL).{{cite news |last1=Speck |first1=Dave |date=16 February 2020 |title='Teaching is like doing 10 rounds with Anthony Joshua' |work=TES |url=https://www.tes.com/news/teaching-doing-10-rounds-anthony-joshua |accessdate=4 July 2020}}

Gullis worked in schools from 2012 to 2019 and compared his teaching experiences to boxing. He worked in schools including Blackfen School for Girls (2012–2015), Ashlawn School (2015–2016), Greenwood Academy (2016–2018), and Fairfax Academy (2018–2019). Gullis described his classroom personality as "a mixture of Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees-Mogg", and said that he "liked to play the character of an English gent". Gullis says that he was "nicknamed Grumpy Gullis – because I never smiled". Upon being elected to Parliament Gullis left work at Fairfax Academy, and he described the pupils he was responsible for as head of year as "probably happy to see me go".

Gullis was elected as a Conservative councillor in the Shipston ward of Stratford-upon-Avon in May 2011, until he resigned in October 2012 after starting a teaching job in London.{{cite news |title=Taxpayer could pay dear as Tory quits |url=https://www.cotswoldjournal.co.uk/news/9993151.taxpayer-could-pay-dear-as-tory-quits/ |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=Cotswold Journal |date=18 October 2012}} Gullis came in for criticism, as he had resigned three hours too late for a by-election to coincide with the area's 2012 PCC election on 15 November, an error which cost in excess of £5,000 when the by-election was held two weeks later. Gullis, annoyed at his treatment by the local Conservative party, urged locals to vote for the Labour candidate, Jeff Kenner.{{Cite web|url=https://labourlist.org/2012/10/vote-labour-says-hapless-tory-councillor/|title=Vote Labour – says hapless Tory councillor|website=LabourList|date=18 October 2012 }}

Gullis stood in Washington and Sunderland West at the 2017 general election, but lost to incumbent Labour MP Sharon Hodgson.{{cite news |last1=Seddon |first1=Sean |title=Washington & Sunderland West constituency General Election results 2017 |url=https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/local-news/washington-sunderland-west-election-results-8650719 |access-date=9 October 2021 |work=ChronicleLive |date=8 June 2017 |language=en}}

Gullis was elected as the MP for Stoke-on-Trent North at the 2019 general election, unseating Labour's Ruth Smeeth and becoming the first Conservative to represent the constituency. At the time of his election, Gullis was employed as a school teacher and head of year at Fairfax Academy in Sutton Coldfield, and served as the school's trade union representative.{{cite news|title=Meet Boris's Babies – they're young, fun and working class|work=The Times (London) |date=15 December 2019|page=23}}{{cite news |last1=Carr |first1=James |title=From the classroom to the commons: former teacher's first weeks as MP |url=https://schoolsweek.co.uk/from-the-classroom-to-the-commons-former-teachers-first-weeks-as-mp/ |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=Schools Week |date=18 January 2020}} Gullis joined the European Research Group shortly after entering Parliament.{{cite news |title=Why new MPs are rushing to join the European Research Group |url=https://www.theweek.co.uk/91461/why-new-mps-are-rushing-to-join-the-european-research-group |accessdate=20 December 2019 |work=The Week |date=19 December 2019}}

On 30 April 2020, Gullis was criticised by Piers Morgan after he complained of the media's 'sick obsession' with the number of deaths during the coronavirus pandemic. Gullis was responding to a tweet by radio presenter James O'Brien. Gullis described comparisons with the number of deaths in other countries as 'lazy' in a now deleted tweet. He later apologised for his 'poor choice of words'.{{cite news |last1=Corrigan |first1=Phil |title='An absolute disgrace' – Piers Morgan blasts Stoke-on-Trent MP for controversial coronavirus tweet |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/an-absolute-disgrace--piers-4091788 |accessdate=1 May 2020 |work=Stoke-on-Trent Live |date=30 April 2020}} He later closed his Twitter account,{{cite news | url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/stoke-trent-north-mp-jonathan-4305974 | title=Stoke-on-Trent North MP Jonathan Gullis quits Twitter as rivals say he's avoiding scrutiny | author=Joe Burn | date=9 July 2020 | accessdate=27 January 2022 | work=StokeonTrentLive }} but reopened it in November 2023.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/GullisJonathan|website=Twitter|title=Jonathan Gullis|access-date=8 December 2023}}

In October 2020, after voting against a Labour Party Opposition Day Motion to extend free school meals until Easter 2021, Gullis said that he would not address a "baying mob" in response to rumours of a protest during his visit to a church foodbank. He also cited COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings.{{Cite news|url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/mp-jonathan-gullis-says-wont-4641472|title=MP Jonathan Gullis says he won't address 'baying mob' at church foodbank visit|first=Joe|last=Burn|date=28 October 2020|work=Stoke-on-Trent Live}}

In October 2020, Gullis stated on his Facebook page that research by the National Maritime Museum into the Royal Navy's links to slavery was "leftwing ideological nonsense".{{Cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/nov/11/dissatisfied-tory-mps-flock-to-erg-inspired-pressure-groups|title=Dissatisfied Tory MPs flock to ERG-inspired pressure groups|date=11 November 2020|work=The Guardian}}

In November 2020, following an interim report on the connections between colonialism and properties now in the care of the National Trust, including links with historic slavery, Gullis was among the signatories of a letter to The Telegraph from the "Common Sense Group" of Conservative MPs. The letter accused the National Trust of being "coloured by cultural Marxist dogma, colloquially known as the 'woke' agenda".{{cite letter |recipient=the Daily Telegraph |subject=Britain's heroes |language=English |date=9 November 2020 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/2020/11/09/letterswill-police-break-armistice-day-ceremonies-wednesday/ |access-date=30 January 2021 |author-mask= }}

On 23 February 2021, Gullis was prevented by the Deputy Speaker from taking part in a debate in the House of Commons from home for being inappropriately dressed. Gullis changed into a suit, and was then allowed to participate.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56180675 |title=Covid: MP told to 'dress properly' for House of Commons debate |work=BBC News |date=24 February 2021 |access-date=12 March 2021 |language=en}}

In May 2021, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards ordered Gullis to return £253.78 and apologise after breaking parliamentary rules by using "pre-paid House-provided stationery in a way that was contrary to the published rules which put the member in breach of the requirements of paragraph 16 of the code of conduct for members." Guillis confirmed this, returned the money, and apologised.{{Cite news|url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/mp-jonathan-gullis-says-sorry-5436102|title=MP Jonathan Gullis says sorry after breaching parliament rules|first=Joe|last=Burn|date=20 May 2021|work=Stoke-on-Trent Live}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c461d40kdjzt/jonathan-gullis|title=Jonathan Gullis|work=BBC News}}{{cite web | url=https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/documents/pcfs/rectifications/mr-jonathan-gullis-mp-rectification.pdf | title=Mr Jonathan Gullis MP Rectification | date=25 June 2021 | work=UK Parliament | accessdate=17 September 2022 }}

In October 2021, Gullis suggested at a fringe meeting during the Conservative Party conference that people using the term "white privilege" should be reported to the Home Office as extremists.{{Cite news|date=9 October 2021|title=Tory MP says people using term 'white privilege' should be reported as extremists|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/oct/09/tory-mp-says-using-term-white-privilege-should-be-reported-as-extremism|access-date=10 October 2021|work=The Guardian|language=en}}{{Cite news|date=9 October 2021|title=Tory MP says people using term 'white privilege' should be reported to Home Office|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/white-privilege-tory-mp-jonathan-gullis-b1935308.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/white-privilege-tory-mp-jonathan-gullis-b1935308.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=10 October 2021|work=The Independent|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=People using term 'white privilege' should be reported as extremists, Tory MP says|url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/19637077.jonathon-gullis-says-people-using-white-privilege-reported-extremists/|access-date=10 October 2021|website=The National|date=9 October 2021 |language=en}}

Gullis has praised schemes for getting disabled people into work. He said there were significant "mental health benefits and physical health benefits" when people with Down syndrome are in work – and that it also saved the state money. He cited a video he saw about an American man with Down syndrome who had worked at McDonald's "for 30 years and had a happy life".{{cite news|url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/tory-mp-taxpayer-saves-down-syndrome-job-mcdonalds-215120764.html|title=Tory MP: We'd save £2m by getting someone with Down's syndrome a job in McDonald's|date=5 October 2021|website=uk.news.yahoo.com}}

Gullis has described Black Lives Matter as "a Marxist organisation that wants to abolish the nuclear family and defund the police".{{cite news|url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/mp-compares-footballers-taking-knee-to-nazi-salute/|title=MP compares footballers taking knee to Nazi salute|first=Lee|last=Harpin|date=7 June 2021|work=Jewish News}}

In January 2022, Gullis defended his decision not to wear a face covering in the Commons chamber, stating that masks were not mandatory in the Commons. According to the Stoke Sentinel, Gullis was "bellowing with his mouth wide open and appearing to rock backwards and forwards" in the Commons during Prime Minister's Questions, following a statement from the Leader of the SNP group, Ian Blackford, that implied over a million people had been plunged into poverty as a result of Conservative party policy.{{cite news | url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/stoke-trent-mp-jonathan-gullis-6555041 | title=Stoke-on-Trent MP Jonathan Gullis defends standing out from the crowd at PMQs | work=StokeOnTrentLive | date=26 January 2022 }}{{cite news | url=https://www.thenational.scot/politics/19885172.mike-small-boris-johnson-trashing-whole-westminster-system/ | title=Boris Johnson is trashing the whole Westminster system | author=Mike Small | work=The National | date=30 January 2022 | accessdate=26 May 2022}} After Gullis' behaviour in the Commons went viral, the Speaker of the House Lindsay Hoyle was interviewed by The Times where he said he wanted members to stop "screaming and shouting" in the chamber.{{cite news | url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/maskless-mp-jonathan-gullis-goes-viral-cheering-johnson-during-heated-debate-09cpmhhfz | title=Commons Speaker demands decorum after yelling MP goes viral | work=The Times | date=28 January 2022 | first1=George | last1=Grylls | first2=Tom | last2=Ball | access-date=29 January 2022 }}

In May 2022, regarding Home Office deportation flights, Gullis said that his constituents were "flabbergasted that the woke, wet and wobbly lot opposite are on the side of their lefty woke warriors, who are making sure these rapists and paedophiles remain in this United Kingdom, rather than standing up for the British people and their safety."{{cite news | url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/home-office-deportation-flight-takes-27000082 | title=Home Office deportation flight takes off for Jamaica with just 7 people on board | work=The Mirror | date=18 May 2022 }}

He resigned as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 5 July 2022 in the aftermath of the Chris Pincher scandal and called on Boris Johnson to resign as Prime Minister.{{cite news |title=Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid resign as Boris Johnson apologises for Chris Pincher 'mistake' – UK politics live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2022/jul/05/boris-johnson-accused-not-telling-truth-chris-pincher-politics-live?page=with:block-62c489638f088c74bb93bc14#block-62c489638f088c74bb93bc14 |access-date=5 July 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=5 July 2022 |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2022-07-06 |title=West Midlands MPs withdraw support for Boris Johnson |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-62061889 |access-date=2024-04-22 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

Gullis endorsed Liz Truss in the July-September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.{{Cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Harry |last2=Rawlinson |first2=Kevin |last3=Chao-Fong |first3=Léonie |last4=Sullivan |first4=Helen |last5=Rawlinson |first5=Harry Taylor (now); Kevin |last6=Sullivan (earlier) |first6=Helen |date=2022-10-21 |title=Flurry of support gives Sunak close to 90 backers – as it happened |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2022/oct/21/uk-politics-live-liz-truss-resigns-tories-tory-leadership-race-new-pm-contest-rishi-sunak-boris-johnson-penny-mordaunt |access-date=2024-04-22 |work=the Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} In September 2022, Gullis was appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for School Standards by Truss after her appointment as Prime Minister.{{Cite web|url=https://schoolsweek.co.uk/meet-the-ministers-whos-who-in-liz-trusss-first-dfe-lineup/|title=Meet the ministers: Who's who in Truss's first DfE lineup|date=27 September 2022|website=schoolsweek.co.uk}} At his first and only appearance at the Despatch Box on 24 October 2022, he was rebuked by the Speaker for not adopting a sufficiently ministerial tone.{{cite web | title=Teacher Recruitment and Retention | website=Hansard | date=24 October 2022 | url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2022-10-24/debates/F5B3A91C-9C32-4ABC-9984-5ED3C8408752/TeacherRecruitmentAndRetention | access-date=27 January 2024}}

Following Truss's resignation in October 2022, Gullis initially announced his support for Boris Johnson's leadership bid. Johnson, however, withdrew from the race.{{Cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Harry |last2=Rawlinson |first2=Kevin |last3=Chao-Fong |first3=Léonie |last4=Sullivan |first4=Helen |last5=Rawlinson |first5=Harry Taylor (now); Kevin |last6=Sullivan (earlier) |first6=Helen |date=2022-10-21 |title=Flurry of support gives Sunak close to 90 backers – as it happened |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2022/oct/21/uk-politics-live-liz-truss-resigns-tories-tory-leadership-race-new-pm-contest-rishi-sunak-boris-johnson-penny-mordaunt |access-date=2024-04-22 |work=the Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

On 28 October 2022, he was dismissed from his position by Truss's successor, Rishi Sunak. Gullis announced his intention to support the Government from the backbenches.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/stoke-trent-mp-gullis-sacked-7757316|title=Stoke-on-Trent MP Gullis sacked as education minister after just 50 days|first=Phil|last=Corrigan|date=28 October 2022|work=Stoke Sentinel}}

In December 2022, on BBC Radio 4's The World at One programme, Gullis defended the government's plan to offshore the processing of asylum seekers to Rwanda. In response to a letter from senior Church of England bishops which criticised the plan, Gullis said: "I don't think unelected bishops in the House of Lords should be preaching about politics."{{Cite web |date=19 December 2022 |title=Tory MP Bemoans Bishops 'Using The Pulpit To Preach From' |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/jonathan-gullis-tory-mp-bishops-using-the-pulpit-to-preach-from_uk_63a0babbe4b03e2cc502d073 |access-date=25 December 2022 |website=HuffPost UK |language=en}}

In April 2023, Gullis started a podcast with former Special Adviser James Starkie called Inside Whitehall. The pair designed the podcast to demystify UK politics. {{Cite web |title=Inside Whitehall |url=https://inside-whitehall.co.uk/ |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=inside-whitehall.co.uk |language=en}}

On 26 March 2024, Gullis and Angela Richardson were made deputy party chairs of the Conservative Party.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-26 |title=Jonathan Gullis named as new deputy chair of Conservative Party |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cw4zjnj2wg1o |access-date=2024-03-26 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

In April 2024 Gullis accepted a £10,000 donation from JCB; the newspaper Byline Times links this payment to Gullis's silence on JCB closing a facility entailing 200 job losses in his constituency, and contrasts it with his activity on the announcement of a facility closure by Johnson Tiles.{{cite news |last1=Latchem |first1=Dan Evans and Tom |title=Conservative Deputy Chair Jonathan Gullis Took £10,000 From JCB – Then Stayed Silent Over Company's job Loss Announcement |url=https://bylinetimes.com/2024/05/31/jonathan-gullis-conservative-takes-10000-from-jcb/ |work=Byline Times |date=31 May 2024}}

In the 2024 general election, Gullis lost his Stoke-on-Trent North seat to Labour candidate David Williams.{{Cite news |title=Stoke-on-Trent North - General election results 2024 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/E14001521 |access-date=2024-07-06 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

In October 2024, Gullis told the BBC that he had been unable to find permanent employment since losing his seat in July, stating that he believed this was related to his political views.{{Cite web |date=2024-10-01 |title=Ex-MP Jonathan Gullis: Schools are a hostile environment for Tories |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp9580dx1y2o |access-date=2025-02-07 |website=BBC News |language=en-GB}}

In May 2025, Gullis announced that he was appointed as a Senior Fellow at The Centre for Social Justice.{{cite news|url=https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/rats-in-a-sack-jonathan-gullis-finally-gets-a-job/|title=Jonathan Gullis finally gets a job|date=14 May 2025|work=The New European|accessdate=29 May 2025}} Later that month, Gullis was named as the town mayor for Kidsgrove Town Council.

In March 2020, as part of a mental health awareness campaign run by the Stoke Sentinel, Gullis said that he has suffered with depression, self-harm and suicidal thoughts during periods of his life.{{cite news |last1=Ault |first1=Richard |quote='I self-harmed after bullying...' MP Jonathan Gullis speaks out about his own mental health struggles - and thoughts of suicide |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/i-self-harmed-after-bullying-3931133 |title=Jonathan Gullis says people using 'white privilege' should be reported as extremists |accessdate=11 March 2020 |work=Stoke-on-Trent Live |date=10 March 2020}}

In June 2020, in a parliamentary debate on divorce law reform, Gullis said that he has gone through a divorce and supported the "no fault" divorce proposal.{{cite news |last1=Corrigan |first1=Phil |title=Stoke-on-Trent MP opens up about 'painful' marriage breakdown during debate over 'no-fault' divorces |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/stoke-trent-mp-opens-up-4212908 |accessdate=4 July 2020 |work=Stoke-on-Trent Live |date=11 June 2020}}

Gullis has one daughter and one son with his partner, Nkita.{{cite news |last1=Parker |first1=Hayley |title=Adorable moment Stoke-on-Trent MP soothes newborn baby as cries interrupt Ofqual video call - and he's won a legion of fans |url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/adorable-moment-stoke-trent-mp-4480143 |accessdate=7 September 2020 |work=Stoke-on-Trent Live |date=3 September 2020}}{{Cite web |title=Parents kept away from seeing seriously ill babies in intensive care |url=https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/familyhealth/parents-kept-away-from-seeing-seriously-ill-babies-in-intensive-care/ar-BB19sAal |date=27 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509164651/https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/familyhealth/parents-kept-away-from-seeing-seriously-ill-babies-in-intensive-care/ar-BB19sAal | archive-date=9 May 2021 | access-date=12 March 2021 |website=www.msn.com}}{{cite news | url=https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/its-boy-mp-jonathan-gullis-6642378 | title=It's a boy - MP Jonathan Gullis welcomes new baby | date=11 February 2022 | work=Stoke-on-Trent Live | accessdate=17 September 2022 }} Gullis is deaf in one ear.{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/tory-mp-taxpayer-saves-down-syndrome-job-mcdonalds-215120764.html|title=Tory MP: We'd save £2m by getting someone with Down's syndrome a job in McDonald's|first=Nadine|last=Batchelor-Hunt|date=5 October 2021|website=Yahoo! News}}

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Category:1990 births

Category:Living people

Category:Deaf politicians

Category:British politicians with disabilities

Category:People educated at Princethorpe College

Category:Alumni of Oxford Brookes University

Category:Alumni of the UCL Institute of Education

Category:UK MPs 2019–2024

Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies

Category:Schoolteachers from the West Midlands