Jo Platt

Joanne Marie Platt (born 15 June 1973)[1] is a British Labour and Co-operative politician. She was the first female MP for Leigh, holding the seat from 2017[2][3] until losing it to the Conservative Party candidate, James Grundy, in 2019.[4]

Jo Platt
Official Parliamentary Portrait of Jo Platt
Shadow Minister of State
for the Cabinet Office
In office
10 July 2018 – 13 December 2019
LeaderJeremy Corbyn
Preceded byLaura Smith
Succeeded byCat Smith
Member of Parliament
for Leigh
In office
9 June 2017 – 6 November 2019
Preceded byAndy Burnham
Succeeded byJames Grundy
Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People
In office
June 2014 – June 2017
Succeeded byJennifer Bullen
Councillor for Astley Mosley Common
In office
3 May 2012 – 5 September 2017
Preceded bySean Ell
Succeeded byPaula Wakefield
Personal details
Born
Joanne Marie Platt

(1973-06-15) 15 June 1973[1]
Salford, England
Political partyLabour Co-op

Platt served as a Shadow Cabinet Office Minister with responsibility for cybersecurity from July 2018.[5] Prior to this she was the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner[6] and was a Member of the Communities and Local Government Select Committee.[7]

Early political career

Platt represented the Astley and Mosley Common ward of Wigan Council as local councillor from 2012 and entered the Shadow Cabinet as the portfolio holder for Children and Young People's Services in 2014.

Member of Parliament

Platt was elected as the Member of Parliament for Leigh during the 2017 General Election.

On being elected, Platt focused on local issues including calling for greater investment to post-industrial towns including those within her constituency and led the campaign to restore rail connectivity to the constituency.[8] She has called for increased local post-16 education provision and for local devolution to facilitate inward investment into the constituency.[9]

Platt became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Angela Rayner, a position she held until 10 July 2018 when she was promoted as a Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office where she has focused on cybersecurity, government digital projects, digital identity, outsourcing and government implementation. She attacked the Government's cybersecurity record[10][11] and was also vocal in her criticism of the Government's handling of Huawei's involvement in the UK's 5G infrastructure.[12][13][14] In March 2019, Platt advocated having a single Cybersecurity Minister and a government approach that facilitates the growth of the UK cyber sector in post-industrial towns.[15] She also advocated the uptake of the cyber profession amongst those with neurodiverse conditions.[16]

Platt set up and chaired the All Party Parliamentary Group on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The group meets to inform and advise Ministers of the barriers those with ADHD face and the change that is required. In August 2018, Platt asked every CCG across the country what their average waiting time for ADHD diagnosis was. In response she revealed that across the UK some people were waiting an average of two years for a diagnosis.[17] She presented the findings to Prime Minister Theresa May during Prime Minister's Questions and secured a commitment from her to explore whether waiting times could be published to encourage a better diagnosis and treatment experience for those with the condition.[18]

References
  1. "Members' Names Data Platform query". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
  2. "Jo Platt makes history becoming Leigh's first female MP". Lancashire Post. 9 June 2017. Archived from the original on 16 June 2017. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  3. "Leigh parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  4. "Ex-Leigh MP Jo Platt says Labour has 'lost seat that resembles heart and soul' of movement". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  5. "Frontbench role for MP Jo Platt". www.wigantoday.net. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  6. "Honoured to have been appointed PPS to the wonderful @AngelaRayner Proud to be a part of this great team. #StandingUpForEducation #Labour". Twitter. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  7. "Jo Platt MP". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 7 January 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  8. "MP COLUMN: Lack of railway station is a source of great frustration". Leigh Journal. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  9. "Leigh MP to discuss social mobility in Parliament after constituency ranked lowest in country in key area". Leigh Journal. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  10. "Tories have failed to get a grip on cyber security – Jo Platt responds to HCSEC Oversight Board's annual report". The Labour Party. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  11. "UK MP faults continuing use of technology susceptible to cyber-attack in NHS". Healthcare IT News. 17 July 2019. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  12. "Potential Huawei 5G deal questioned by Opposition – News from Parliament". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  13. "Unprecedented leak of secret government talks with Huawei could lead to criminal investigation, minister says". The Independent. 25 April 2019. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  14. "UK to allow Huawei to help build 5G". 24 April 2019. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  15. "'A vibrant cyber sector could revitalise post-industrial towns' – Labour MP Platt". PublicTechnology.net. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  16. "Jo Platt and Chris Green debate". www.parallelparliament.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  17. editor, Sarah Boseley Health (3 August 2018). "UK children with ADHD wait up to two years for diagnosis, say experts". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  18. "Engagements – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Andy Burnham 		Member of Parliament
for Leigh
2017–2019		 Succeeded by
James Grundy
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