Jo Johnson

Johnson was born in London. He is the youngest of four children of former Conservative MEP Stanley Johnson and artist Charlotte Johnson Wahl (née Fawcett), the daughter of Sir James Fawcett, a barrister and president of the European Commission of Human Rights from 1972 to 1981. Johnson is the brother of Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Conservative MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip; Rachel, a journalist; and Leo, an entrepreneur, filmmaker and partner at the professional services firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.[7][8][9]

Johnson first attended the European School in Uccle, before attending The Hall School in Hampstead, London, Ashdown House School in East Sussex, and then Eton College. In 1991, he went to Balliol College, Oxford, to read Modern History. He was a Scholar at Balliol, edited Isis, the Oxford University student magazine, and was awarded a First Class degree in both Honour Moderations (June 1992) and Finals (Honour School, June 1994).

While at Oxford, he was a member of the Bullingdon Club together with Harry Mount, Nat Rothschild and George Osborne, with whom he remains a close friend.[10][11]

On 25 April 2013, he was appointed head of the Number 10 Policy Unit by David Cameron to help develop the 2015 Conservative manifesto.

As a junior Cabinet Office minister, he headed the Policy Unit in the Prime Minister's Office,[21] and also chaired a newly created Conservative Parliamentary advisory board, known as the Prime Minister's Policy Board, consisting of Conservative MPs.

Johnson's appointment to head up the Downing Street policy unit was viewed as surprising by The Guardian as he was perceived as being more pro-European and left-leaning than most Conservatives.[22]

On 11 May 2015, it was announced that Johnson had been appointed Minister for Universities and Science at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).[23][24] Writing about Johnson's appointment for Times Higher Education, John Morgan said: "Mr Johnson's reputation as a pro-European is likely to please vice-chancellors, many of whom are concerned by the Tories' pledge to hold an in-out referendum on EU membership by 2017. Universities UK pointed out that British higher education institutions benefit from around £1.2 billion in European research funding each year."[25]

In this role, Johnson introduced the Higher Education and Research Act 2017, which the Times Higher Education described as the most significant legislation in 25 years. This overhauled the regulatory framework for English universities, replaced the Higher Education Funding Council for England with a new regulator, the Office for Students, and established mechanisms to hold universities more accountable for the quality of teaching and student outcomes.[26] The Act also created a new single national strategic research body, UK Research and Innovation, bringing together the UK's fragmented research funding bodies.[27]

On 9 January 2018, Johnson left his role as Minister for Universities and accepted a new position as Minister of Transport and Minister for London.[28]

On 9 November 2018, Johnson resigned his position, citing disillusionment with the government's Brexit strategy and called for a fresh vote on Brexit with an option to remain. Johnson argued that Britain was "on the brink of the greatest crisis" since World War Two and claimed that what was on offer was not "anything like what was promised".[29][30]

Johnson called on his Conservative Party MPs to vote down Theresa May's Brexit deal on 11 December 2018, stating that it was 'half baked' and the 'worst of both worlds'.[31] Johnson resigned as a minister in December 2018 because he wanted to be free to endorse a proposed referendum on the Brexit withdrawal agreement.[32][33][30]

On 24 July 2019, it was announced that Jo Johnson was appointed Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation – this position would mean he would be attending the meetings of the cabinet.[34][35] He was appointed to the privy council the next day.[36] On 5 September, Johnson resigned as a Minister and announced he would stand down as MP, describing his position as "torn between family and national interest".[37][38][39] He stood down at the next general election rather than resigning. A Downing Street spokesman said: "The prime minister would like to thank Jo Johnson for his service... The constituents of Orpington could not have asked for a better representative."

On 31 July 2020, the announcement was made of Johnson's elevation to the House of Lords as part of the 2019 Dissolution Honours.[40][41] It was his elder brother Boris Johnson who established his peerage.[42] He was created Baron Johnson of Marylebone, of Marylebone in the City of Westminster, on 29[43] October.[44][45] He delivered his maiden speech on the afternoon of Thursday 4 March 2021.