Lillian Jones

Outside politics, Jones worked for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde during her tenure as a councillor on East Ayrshire Council.{{cite web |title=LILLIAN JONES WARD 2 - KILMARNOCK WEST AND CROSSHOUSE |url=https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/Resources/Councillors/MembersInterests/KilmarnockWestandCrosshouseLillianJones.pdf |website=East Ayrshire Council |access-date=5 July 2024}} Following her victory in the 2024 general election, it remains unclear whether Jones will retain this post within NHS Scotland whilst serving as MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun.

{{main|Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse (ward)}}

{{see|East Ayrshire Council}}

Jones was elected as a councillor for the Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse ward at the 2012 East Ayrshire Council election, receiving 1,025 votes.{{Cite web |url=https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/Resources/PDF/E/election2012/DeclarationofResults-Ward3KilmarnockWestandCrosshouse.pdf |title=Declaration of Results Report Ward 3 Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse |publisher=East Ayrshire Council |date=4 May 2012 |access-date=2 November 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/Resources/PDF/E/election2012/ElectionResults-Ward3KilmarnockWestandCrosshouse.pdf |title=Detailed Results Ward 3 Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse |publisher=East Ayrshire Council |date=4 May 2012 |access-date=2 November 2022}} She was subsequently re–elected to the ward in the 2017 East Ayrshire Council election and 2022 East Ayrshire Council election.{{Cite web |url=https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/Resources/PDF/E/Elections2022/Declaration-of-Results-Report-Ward-3-Kilmarnock-West-and-Crosshouse.pdf |title=Declaration of Results Report Ward 3 Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse |publisher=East Ayrshire Council |date=6 May 2022 |access-date=7 May 2022}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/Resources/PDF/E/Elections2022/Detailed-Results-Ward-3-Kilmarnock-West-and-Crosshouse.pdf |title=Detailed Results Ward 3 Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse |publisher=East Ayrshire Council |date=6 May 2022 |access-date=7 May 2022}} During her tenure as a councillor on East Ayrshire Council, Jones served as a member on the Governance and Scrutiny Committee, Grants Committee, Local Government Licensing Panel and the Police and Fire and Rescue Committee.{{cite web |title=Your councillor · East Ayrshire Council |url=https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/CouncilAndGovernment/About-the-Council/Councillors-and-Provost/YourCouncillor.aspx?17 |website=www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk |access-date=5 July 2024}}

Following her election to the House of Commons in the 2024 United Kingdom general election, there had been speculation that a by-election could be held in East Ayrshire Council to replace Jones. Whilst MPs are not prevented from serving as a local councillor and MP at the same time, it is, however, often expected that MPs who serve as councillors at the time they are elected as an MP stand down from their council position.{{cite web |title=Labour election success could spark two East Ayrshire Council by-elections |url=https://www.cumnockchronicle.com/news/24436869.east-ayrshire-council-labour-win-spark-by-election/ |website=Cumnock Chronicle |access-date=9 July 2024 |language=en |date=8 July 2024}} In a video posted to her Facebook account on 2 September 2024, Jones confirmed she had tendered her resignation "with immediate effect" following writing to the Chief Executive of East Ayrshire Council, and confirmed a by-election would be held in the ward to select her successor.{{cite web |title=A message for Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse Residents. East Ayrshire Council East Ayrshire Labour {{!}} By Lillian Jones MPFacebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/LILLIANJONESMP/videos/373631392457308/?locale=sv_SE |website=Facebook |access-date=7 September 2024 |language=sv}} The 2024 Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse by–election to elect her successor to the Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse ward is scheduled to take place on 14 November 2024.{{cite web |title=Date announced for by-elections |url=https://newsroom.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/news/date-announced-for-by-elections |website=East Ayrshire Council News |access-date=30 October 2024 |date=6 September 2024}}

Jones was succeeded as Councillor for Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse by Scottish Labour candidate Jayne Sangster following the November 2024 East Ayrshire Council by–election.{{cite web |title=East Ayrshire Council by-elections results |url=https://newsroom.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/news/east-ayrshire-council-by-elections-results |website=East Ayrshire Council News |access-date=23 November 2024 |date=15 November 2024}}{{cite web |title=Your councillor · East Ayrshire Council |url=https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/CouncilAndGovernment/About-the-Council/Councillors-and-Provost/YourCouncillor.aspx?56 |website=www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk |access-date=23 November 2024}}

Jones has represented the Kilmarnock and Loudoun parliamentary constituency at the House of Commons of the United Kingdom since 4 July 2024, following her election during the 2024 United Kingdom general election.{{cite web |title=Lillian Jones |url=https://members.parliament.uk/member/5043/career |website=UK Parliament |access-date=7 July 2024}}

===Nomination as candidate===

Jones was selected as the Scottish Labour Party candidate for the Kilmarnock and Loudoun parliamentary constituency at the United Kingdom parliament, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The 2024 United Kingdom general election was scheduled for 4 July, with Jones and Scottish Labour activists beginning campaigning across the constituency shortly after the announcement was made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.{{cite web |title=Councillor Lillian Jones |url=https://www.facebook.com/LILLIANJONESLABOUR/posts/proud-to-have-been-selected-scottish-labour-party-parliamentary-candidate-for-ki/870467241750126/ |website=www.facebook.com |access-date=5 July 2024}}

{{further|2024 United Kingdom general election in Scotland}}

The Kilmarnock and Loudoun seat had previously been considered a Scottish Labour stronghold, having been represented by a Scottish Labour MP since 1983 until the election of Scottish National Party candidate Alan Brown in the 2015 United Kingdom general election.{{cite web |title=Kilmarnock and Loudoun |url=https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/1624/election/369 |website=UK Parliament |access-date=5 July 2024}}{{cite web |title=Kilmarnock and Loudoun |url=https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/1622/overview |website=UK Parliament |access-date=5 July 2024}} Brown would hold the seat through the subsequent elections, and contested the seat in the 2024 election alongside Jones for Scottish Labour.

Jones was the first Scottish Labour candidate to be declared victorious during election results through 4–5 July, defeating incumbent MP, Alan Brown of the SNP, with a majority of 5,119.{{cite web |title=Labour takes first Scottish seat as SNP faces collapse |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/snp-labour-scottish-nicola-sturgeon-bbc-b2574357.html |website=The Independent |access-date=5 July 2024 |language=en |date=5 July 2024}} Speaking about being elected MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Jones described it as a "poignant moment". Jones said that she felt the result of the election in Kilmarnock and Loudoun "was going to be really close, that’s what was coming through in the polls".{{cite web |last1=Bark |first1=Stephen |title=Kilmarnock and Loudoun's new MP on 'poignant moment' amid Labour landslide |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/kilmarnock-loudouns-new-mp-poignant-33176081?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3OOTeBiJXzohRXXag4CEUMdbJRtOeMnlf0QeQ3sX-MZ6TQyWxH72lfU2k_aem_h7FE1TIzioqNIeSs4gqFdw |website=Daily Record |access-date=7 July 2024 |language=en |date=7 July 2024}}

Speaking following her victory in the election contesting the Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency, Jones voted to "deliver what I said I would deliver", and claimed that will be a "a constituency based MP".{{cite web |last1=Bark |first1=Stephen |title=Kilmarnock and Loudoun's new MP on 'poignant moment' amid Labour landslide |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/kilmarnock-loudouns-new-mp-poignant-33176081?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3OOTeBiJXzohRXXag4CEUMdbJRtOeMnlf0QeQ3sX-MZ6TQyWxH72lfU2k_aem_h7FE1TIzioqNIeSs4gqFdw |website=Daily Record |access-date=7 July 2024 |language=en |date=7 July 2024}}

Following the election, Jones thanked Alan Brown, the Scottish National Party MP who won the Kilmarnock and Loudoun seat at the 2015 United Kingdom general election for his "time in office".{{cite web |last1=Bark |first1=Stephen |title=Kilmarnock and Loudoun's new MP on 'poignant moment' amid Labour landslide |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/ayrshire/kilmarnock-loudouns-new-mp-poignant-33176081?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3OOTeBiJXzohRXXag4CEUMdbJRtOeMnlf0QeQ3sX-MZ6TQyWxH72lfU2k_aem_h7FE1TIzioqNIeSs4gqFdw |website=Daily Record |access-date=7 July 2024 |language=en |date=7 July 2024}}

== Personal life ==

Jones is openly LGBT+. https://x.com/JamesAsser/status/1859719790413349332

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• [https://newsroom.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/news/uk-parliamentary-general-election-kilmarnock-loudoun-constituency-results Lillian Jones election results] at the 2024 United Kingdom general election

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Category:Living people

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

Category:Scottish Labour councillors

Category:Scottish Labour MPs

Category:UK MPs 2024–present

Category:Councillors in Ayrshire

Category:NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Category:Women councillors in Scotland

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:LGBTQ members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom

Category:Scottish lesbian politicians