Gillian Keegan is the Conservative MP for Chichester, having first been elected to Parliament in 2017. She was elected in the 2019 General Election with a majority of 21,490 over the Liberal Democrats.
The constituency of Chichester runs down the entire western side of West Sussex on the border of Hampshire. On the coast, it includes the seaside town of Selsey, once home to the astronomer Patrick Moore, and the sandy seaside resort of West Wittering, home to a number of celebrities such as Keith Richards and Kate Winslet. The seat includes parts of the South Downs Park including the town of Midhurst, and the Cathedral city of Chichester.
Chichester is a relatively affluent part of the UK, where a quarter of the population are said to be retired. This area of England has been represented comfortably by the Conservatives ever since 1924. It was once represented at Westminster by the famous middle distance athlete, Christopher Chataway.
- Gillian Keegan MP was appointed secretary of state for education by Rishi Sunak in October 2022. As she took up the post, she aptly arrived in Downing Street with a satchel on her back. Upon taking office, Keegan became the fifth education secretary in as many months.
- Prior to her appointment, Keegan had never previously served in the cabinet. Keegan had though held a number of junior ministerial jobs under Liz Truss and Boris Johnson between 2020 and 2022. She had variously been under secretary of state at the foreign office, minister of state at the department of health, and under secretary of state for apprenticeships and skills.
As well as being described as one of the more fashionable MPs, Keegan is also regarded as good communicator. She has made regular appearances on both Question Time and Any Questions. She is also said to be fluent in Spanish.
Born in 1968, Gillian Keegan is a Liverpudlian who grew up in Merseyside. She started her career aged 16 as an apprentice at a car factory in Kirkby.
Keegan was then sponsored to study a degree in Business Studies at Liverpool John Moores University.
Keegan later went on to have a business career working at Delco Electronics, MasterCard International (Commercial Director), Amadeus IT Group (Group Vice President of Multinational Customer Group based in Madrid) and Travelport (Chief Marketing Officer).
Keegan was elected to Chichester Borough Council between 2014 and 2018.
Keegan supported Remain in the 2016 EU referendum, and backed Rory Stewart in the 2016 Conservative Party leadership election.
Keegan is godmother to two of the children of the former Commons Speaker, John Bercow. Bercow is a friend of Keegan’s husband with whom he previously served on Lambeth Council. The two families have been skiing together.
Website – https://www.gilliankeegan.com/
Twitter – @GillianKeegan
