I was born in Tredegar in 1970. Following comprehensive school, I went to Cambridge University to study modern languages, and since 1996 I’ve been married to Helle, the former Social Democrat Prime Minister of Denmark, who I met when I won a scholarship to the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium. We have two lovely daughters: Johanna and Camilla.
I’ve been a Labour party member since I was 15 years old, joining at the height of the Thatcher Government and as the miners’ strike gripped the country. Seeing the impact a Tory government had on our communities I knew only Labour represented my deeply held core values of fairness, community and opportunity for all.
I’m also a member of Community Union, Unison and the Co-operative Party.