Gerald Jones | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2020 | |
| Assistant Government Whip | |
| In office 10 July 2024 – 7 September 2025 | |
| Prime Minister | Keir Starmer |
| Member of Parliament forMerthyr Tydfil and Aberdare Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (2015–2024) | |
| Assumed office 7 May 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Dai Havard |
| Majority | 7,447 (21.1%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1970-08-21)21 August 1970 (age 55) |
| Political party | Labour |
| Website | www |
Gerald Jones (born 21 August 1970) is aWelsh Labour Party politician who has been theMember of Parliament (MP) forMerthyr Tydfil and Aberdare, formerlyMerthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, since2015. He was an Assistant Government Whip from 2024 to 2025 and previously served as Shadow Minister for Wales.
Gerald Jones was born on 21 August 1970 inPhillipstown.
He joined the Labour Party in 1988, and has served in a range of roles including Chairperson of New Tredegar Branch Labour Party and theMerthyr Tydfil & Rhymney Constituency Labour Party. Between 2003 and 2015, he served as an election agent in both the UK general elections and Welsh Assembly election campaigns across Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney.
Jones was elected as a Labour Councillor toCaerphilly County Borough Council in 1995, representing his home community ofNew Tredegar for the next 20 years. He also served as Deputy Leader of the Council and between 2012 and 2015 also served as Cabinet Member for Housing where he drove the council's commitment to delivering the Welsh Housing Quality Standard programme. Jones also served as the Anti Poverty and Homelessness Champion.[1]
At the2015 general election, Jones was elected to Parliament as MP forMerthyr Tydfil and Rhymney with 53.9% of the vote and a majority of 11,513.[2][3][4]
He supportedOwen Smith in the failed attempt to replaceJeremy Corbyn in the2016 Labour leadership election.[5]
Having served as aParliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Shadow Wales and Defence teams, he was appointed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as a Shadow Wales Minister in October 2016 and a Shadow Defence Minister in July 2017.[6][7][8]
Jones was re-elected as MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney at the snap2017 general election with an increased vote share of 66.8% and an increased majority of 16,334.[9][10] He was again re-elected at the2019 general election, with a decreased vote share of 52.4% and a decreased majority of 10,606.[11][12][13]
Due to the2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, Jones' constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney was abolished, and replaced withMerthyr Tydfil and Upper Cynon. In June 2023, Jones defeatedBeth Winter to be selected as the Labour candidate for Merthyr Tydfil and Upper Cynon at the2024 general election.[14] The seat was ultimately renamedMerthyr Tydfil and Aberdare in the final recommendations published late in the month.[15]
In the2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Scotland.[16]
At the2024 general election, Jones was elected to Parliament as MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare with 44.8% of the vote and a majority of 7,447.[17] He was appointed an Assistant GovernmentWhip in July 2024, serving until his departure from Government in theSeptember 2025 reshuffle.[18]
He is gay and employs his partner, Tyrone Powell, as his Senior Parliamentary Assistant.[19][20]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forMerthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 2015–2024 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forMerthyr Tydfil and Aberdare 2024–present | Incumbent |