Stephen Kinnock | |||||||||||
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 Official portrait, 2020 | |||||||||||
| Minister of State for Care | |||||||||||
| Assumed office 8 July 2024 | |||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Keir Starmer | ||||||||||
| Preceded by | Helen Whately | ||||||||||
| Member of Parliament forAberafan Maesteg Aberavon (2015–2024) | |||||||||||
| Assumed office 7 May 2015 | |||||||||||
| Preceded by | Hywel Francis | ||||||||||
| Majority | 10,354 (29.0%) | ||||||||||
| Spouse of the Prime Minister of Denmark | |||||||||||
| In role 3 October 2011 – 28 June 2015 | |||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Helle Thorning-Schmidt | ||||||||||
| Preceded by | Sólrun Løkke Rasmussen | ||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Sólrun Løkke Rasmussen | ||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||
| Born | Stephen Nathan Kinnock (1970-01-01)1 January 1970 (age 56) Tredegar, Wales | ||||||||||
| Party | Labour | ||||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||
| Parents | |||||||||||
| Alma mater | |||||||||||
| Signature |  | ||||||||||
| Website | stephenkinnock | ||||||||||
Kinnock's closing remarks at the 2011World Economic Forum on Europe and Central Asia Recorded 9 June 2011 | |||||||||||
Stephen Nathan Kinnock (born 1 January 1970) is a British politician serving asMember of Parliament (MP) forAberafan Maesteg, formerlyAberavon, since 2015. A member of theLabour Party, he has served asMinister of State for Care since 2024.[1] He also was Spouse of the Prime Minister of Denmark from 2011 to 2015.
Kinnock was born inTredegar,Monmouthshire, the son of British politiciansGlenys Kinnock andNeil Kinnock.[2][3] He describes himself as from a "Labour and Trade Union family".[4]
Kinnock was educated atDrayton Manor High School, acomprehensive school inHanwell, London. He read Modern Languages atQueens' College, Cambridge, taking aBA. In 1993, he obtained aMA at theCollege of Europe inBruges.
Although Kinnock's mother was a Welsh speaker, his father was not; he has suggested that Glenys "was reluctant to use Welsh with me for fear of shutting him out".[5] He began learning the language properly as an adult, making a pledge to do so when he stood as a parliamentary candidate for a Welsh constituency: "Languages go right to the root of me (..) ...as a politician I want to reach out and listen. Languages are a major part of that."[6]
Kinnock worked as a research assistant at theEuropean Parliament before becoming aBritish Council Development and Training Services executive based in Brussels in 1997. He held various positions with the British Council including director of itsSt. Petersburg office. Following the Russian authorities' closure of this office,[7][8][9] Kinnock was posted to the British Council inSierra Leone.[10]
In January 2009, he joined theWorld Economic Forum as director, head of Europe and Central Asia, based inGeneva, Switzerland.[11] In August 2012, he took up a position at the business consultancyXyntéo in London, Kinnock was managing director of the "Global Leadership and Technology Exchange" in 2012.[12]
Refuted tax evasion allegation
In June 2010, the Danish tabloid newspaperB.T. accused Kinnock oftax evasion.[13] At that time, he was paying tax in Switzerland where his workplace was situated, and where he had declared his main residence, although his wife's political website stated that "The family lives inØsterbro in Copenhagen".[14] The couple had previously stated to the media that Kinnock would spend his weekends in Denmark, sometimes including Thursday, and that he regarded his home and base as being exclusively with his family in Copenhagen. According to the newspaper, he would possibly exceed 183 days a year in Denmark, meaning he would be fully taxable there. His wife rebutted the accusations but said the couple would ask theDanish tax authority for an audit.[15][16] The audit was completed on 17 September 2010, and concluded that "Mr Kinnock does not have tax liability for 2007, 08, or 09, as he does not reside in this country within the meaning of the Danish Tax at Sources Act".[17][18][19]
In March 2014, Kinnock was selected as theLabour Party candidate for the seat ofAberavon in Wales for the2015 General Election.[20] He defeated candidates includingJeremy Miles to win the selection.[21] On 7 May 2015, he was elected the Member of Parliament for Aberavon with a majority of 10,445.
Kinnock was appointedParliamentary private secretary (PPS) to the shadowBusiness, Innovation and Skills team in September 2015. He resigned as PPS in June 2016 and supportedOwen Smith's failed attempt to replaceJeremy Corbyn in the2016 Labour leadership election.[22][23]
During the2017 general election campaign, Kinnock was one of four MPs critical ofJeremy Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party who were followed for six weeks for the BBC documentaryLabour: The Summer that Changed Everything. The documentary showed Kinnock predicting the poll would "not be a good night" for Labour, and his ambivalent response to Labour gains in the election.[24][25][26] He was re-elected in 2017 with an increased majority of 16,761, and 68.1% of the vote share.
Kinnock held his seat at the2019 general election with a majority of 10,490 and a vote share of 53.8%.[27] He endorsedLisa Nandy in the2020 Labour leadership election.[28]
FollowingKeir Starmer's election asLabour Leader in April 2020, he was appointed as ShadowAsia and Pacific Minister.[29] Kinnock changed role in the December 2021 front bench reshuffle, becoming ShadowArmed Forces Minister,[30][31] and moved again in February 2022, followingJack Dromey's death, to becomeShadow Immigration Minister. His constituency boundary changed and he won re-election in the 4 July 2024General election.
COVID-19 non-compliance allegation
Kinnock posted a photo onTwitter after travelling from Wales to London to visit his father on his birthday on 28 March 2020 – five days after the lockdown came into force. They were social distancing, but South Wales Police responded: "We know celebrating your Dad's birthday is a lovely thing to do; however, this is not essential travel. We all have our part to play in this, we urge you to comply with @GOVUK restrictions, they are in place to keep us all safe. Thank you." Kinnock stated that "this was essential travel as I had to deliver some necessary supplies to my parents."[32]
Assisted dying
Kinnock stated in November 2024 that he would vote in favour of legislation on assisted dying. He said the bill introduced byKim Leadbeater was the ‘compassionate thing’ to do, and insisted that it would not increase costs for the NHS,[33] a direct contradiction of his own Secretary of State,Wes Streeting. Kinnock served on the committee examining the legislation.[34]
His father,Neil Kinnock, is a former Leader of the Labour Party and was also aEuropean commissioner and Vice President of the European Commission. His mother,Glenys Kinnock, formerly served as a Labour PartyMember of the European Parliament (MEP).
In 1996, Kinnock marriedHelle Thorning-Schmidt, who later becamePrime Minister of Denmark. They met when both attended theCollege of Europe. The couple have two children,[35] including a child who came out astransgender andnon-binary in 2022, aged 22.[36] Their grandfatherNeil Kinnock spoke of his pride after his grandchild came out as transgender.[37]
Kinnock is an honorary associate of theNational Secular Society.[38]
When his father was created aLife peer in 2005 as Baron Kinnock ofBedwellty, Kinnock was granted the prefixThe Honourable as the son of a baron.
Born in 1970 in a small town named Tredegar in South Wales [...]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forAberavon 2015–2024 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forAberafan Maesteg 2024–present | Incumbent |
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