Jonathan Ashworth was first elected as the Labour Party MP for Leicester South in a 2011 by-election, being reelected in 2019 with a majority of 22,675.
He serves as the shadow paymaster general, having in effect been demoted from the post of shadow secretary of state for work and pensions in Keir Starmer’s September 2023 reshuffle.
He has been called the “shadow minister for the Today programme”, a phrase he has embraced, reflecting his role as an “attack dog” in Keir Starmer’s political operation.
Ashworth’s constituency of Leicester South contains the city centre in Leicester, and is the most affluent of the three Leicester seats containing the suburbs of Stoneygate and Aylsestone, as well as some more deprived communities in the inner city areas of Saffron and Eyres Monsell.
The seat is one of the most ethnically diverse in the UK, with the Muslim population said to number over 30,000. It is also home to both Leicester Universities, with the large student vote, helping to further turn this into a very safe Labour seat in recent years.
Ashworth was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions during a November 2021 Shadow Cabinet reshuffle. He had was previously the long standing Shadow Secretary of State between 2016 and 2021.
Ashworth famously was seen to cast doubt on the Labour Party’s ability to win the 2019 General Election, just two days prior to polling day.
He supported Lisa Nandy for the Labour leadership in 2020, backed Jeremy Corbyn in 2016, and supported Yvette Cooper in the 2015 contest.
Prior to entering Parliament, Ashworth served as a Labour Party Research Officer, and then as a Special Advisor to Gordon Brown. Having worked in politics for most of his adult life, Ashworth can be considered as one of Westminster’s professional politicians.
Born in 1978, Ashworth is married with two daughters. He was educated at Durham University. He describes himself as a ‘book-worm’ who likes running.
Email: jon.ashworth.mp@parliament.uk
Personal Website: http://www.jonashworth.org
Twitter: @jonashworth
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JonAshworthMP
