John Healey was first elected as the Labour MP for Wentworth in 1997, being reelected in the 2019 election with a majority of 2,165.
The constituency of Wentworth and Dearne is located in the middle of south Yorkshire. This is a former mining area to the north of Sheffield, and one in which the economy has diversified considerably in recent years. It includes the towns of Dearne and Rawmarsh. This area of the country has been represented by the Labour Party ever since 1922, but in the 2019 General Election, Labour recorded its second worst result in the country here, with its vote dropping by almost a quarter. The Party retained the seat but only narrowly. The former Conservative Party leader, William Hague, grew up in this constituency.
Healey currently serves in the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, having previously served as Shadow Secretary of State for Housing between 2015 and 2020.
He served in the Blair and Brown governments. He was the Minister for Housing between 2009 and 2010; the Minister for Local Government between 2007 and 2009; Financial Secretary to the Treasury between 2005 and 2007; and Economic Secretary to the Treasury between 2005 and 2005. He was PPS to Gordon Brown between 1999 and 2001.
Healey was born in Wakefield in 1960. He was educated at Lady Lumley’s Comprehensive School, Pickering, at Peter’s School in York and Christ’s College, Cambridge.
Prior to becoming an MP, Healey initially worked in the voluntary sector from 1984 to 1990 with the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation, and MIND. He later worked for the MSF Union, and was Campaigns Director for the TUC from 1994 to 1997. He has also been a part time tutor at the Open University’s Business School.
Healey supported Keir Starmer in the 2020 Labour leadership election. He backed Owen Smith in his 2016 challenge to Jeremy Corbyn. He supported Remain in the 2016 EU referendum,
John Healey is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Transatlantic Trade.
He is married with one child. He employs his wife as a part time Office Manager.
Email: healeyj@parliament.uk
Personal Website: http://www.johnhealeymp.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnhealey_mp
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/johnhealeymp
