Therese Coffey was first elected as the Conservative MP for Suffolk Coastal in 2010, being reelected in 2019 with a majority of 20,533.
The Suffolk Coastal constituency is a thin and long seat that stretches down almost the entirety of the Suffolk coast, and includes the town of Felixstowe with its vast container port, the seaside resort of Aldeburgh, and the town of Woodbridge close to Ipswich. The Sizewell nuclear facility is found in this seat. This area of Suffolk has long supported the Conservatives, and the seat was formerly represented at Westminster by the Conservative Cabinet Minister, John Gummer.
Coffey was appointed as the secretary of state for environment by Rishi Sunak in October 2022.
She was briefly deputy prime minister and secretary of state for health beteen September and October 2022. Representing a seat in East Anglia that is close to Liz Truss, and having entered parliament at the same time as the former prime minister, Coffey is one of Liz Truss’ closest political friends. She was Liz Truss’ campaign manager during the 2022 conservative leadership election.
Coffey was first appointed to the cabinet by Boris Johnson in 2019, serving as the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions between 2019 and 2022. Coffeey previously served as Minister of State for the Environment and Rural Opportunity between 2016 and 2019, and as Deputy Leader of the House of Commons between 2015 and 2016.
Born in 1971, Therese Coffey grew up in Liverpool, and after graduating from UCL with a PhD in Chemistry, joined the international company Mars. Having qualified as a chartered management accountant, Therese covered various roles in Mars, eventually serving as Finance Director for Mars Drinks UK, and also as a Finance Manager at the BBC
Coffey is a big supporter of Liverpool football club. She has called for a knighthood for the former Liverpool player, Kenny Dalglish. She enjoys music and likes the band, the Muse.
Email: therese.coffey.mp@parliament.uk
Personal Website: http://theresecoffey.co.uk/
Twitter: @theresecoffey
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ThereseCoffey
