Janet Daby

Janet Jessica Daby (born 15 December 1970) is a British Labour Party politician who is Member of Parliament (MP) for the parliamentary constituency of Lewisham East in London. Daby won the seat at a by-election held on 14 June 2018 and was re-elected in the 2019 general election.

Janet Daby

MP
2020 parliamentary portrait
Shadow Minister for Faiths, Women and Equalities
In office
9 April 2020 – 7 December 2020
LeaderKeir Starmer
Preceded byPosition established
Member of Parliament
for Lewisham East
Assumed office
14 June 2018
Preceded byHeidi Alexander
Majority17,008 (38.0%)
Personal details
Born
Janet Jessica Daby

(1970-12-15) 15 December 1970
Political partyLabour

Early life

Daby's parents were Windrush migrants from Guyana and Jamaica.[1] She was brought up on a council estate where, as a child, racists pelted her windows with eggs three nights in a row.[2] She attended Blackheath Bluecoat School in Greenwich.[1]

Political career

Daby is a former Lewisham borough councillor,[3] first elected in 2010,[4] and served as deputy mayor of the London Borough of Lewisham prior to her election as an MP.[5][6] She previously worked in volunteer management and in children's social care, and acted as a registered fostering manager.[5]

A by-election was triggered in Lewisham East by the resignation of the incumbent Labour MP Heidi Alexander in May 2018. Daby was selected as Labour's by-election candidate after hustings involving an all-women shortlist.[7] She retained the seat for Labour in the June 2018 by-election with 50.2% of the vote, although Labour's majority was reduced from 21,213 to 5,629.[8] Turnout, however, was 33.3%, roughly half of the 2017 election where it was 69.3% (typical of modern-day by-elections). She was re-elected in the December 2019 general election with 26,661 votes representing a majority of 17,008.[9]

Daby pledged to fight for the UK to remain in the European Union customs union and the single market.[10]

She was given her first shadow ministerial post on 9 April 2020 by Labour Party leader Keir Starmer as Shadow Minister for Faiths. She resigned from this post on 7 December 2020 after she suggested registrars who have a religious objection to same-sex marriage should be protected from losing their jobs if they refuse to certify the partnership: an action which would be unlawful discrimination. She later apologised for her remarks.[11]

Personal life

Daby has two children. She has lived in Lewisham for over 20 years.[2]

References
  1. Simpson, Fiona (15 June 2018). "Lewisham East by-election result: Who is Labour's Janet Daby?". Evening Standard.
  2. Bloom, Dan (15 June 2018). "Who is Janet Daby? Profile of Labour's newest MP after victory in Lewisham East by-election". Mirror Online. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  3. "Lewisham Councillors Janet Daby and Alex Feis-Bryce stand down". Lewisham Labour Party. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  4. "Councillor Janet Daby". Lewisham Council. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  5. "Janet Daby: our candidate for Lewisham East". Labour in London. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  6. Casalicchio, Emilio (19 May 2018). "Blow for Jeremy Corbyn as Janet Daby named Labour candidate for Lewisham East by-election". PoliticsHome. Dods Parliamentary Commmunications. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  7. "Lewisham East by-election: Janet Daby chosen to stand for Labour". BBC News. 19 May 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2018.
  8. "Labour's Janet Daby wins Lewisham East in by-election". BBC News. 15 June 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  9. Somerville, Ewan (13 December 2019). "Lewisham East constituency results 2019: Labour's Janet Daby wins". Evening Standard. ESI Media. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  10. Cowburn, Ashley (18 May 2018). "Lewisham East by-election: Brexit becomes key dividing line in contest to replace Heidi Alexander as Labour candidate". The Independent. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  11. Sleigh, Sophia (7 December 2020). "Labour shadow minister Janet Daby resigns after saying registrars have right to object to gay marriage". Evening Standard. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Heidi Alexander		 Member of Parliament
for Lewisham East
2018–present		 Incumbent
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