Jo Platt

Joanne Marie Platt (born 15 June 1973) is a British former Labour and Co-operative politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Leigh from 2017 to 2019. She served on the opposition front bench as a Shadow Cabinet Office Minister from 2018 to 2019.

Jo Platt
Official portrait, 2017
Shadow Minister 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
8 June 2017 – 6 November 2019
Preceded byAndy Burnham
Succeeded byJames Grundy
Member of Wigan Council
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
Salford, England
Political partyLabour Co-op

Political career

Platt was elected to Astley Mosley Common ward on Wigan Council at the 2012 local elections and re-elected in 2016.[1] She was appointed as the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People in June 2014,[2] and also served as the Secretary of the Leigh Constituency Labour Party during her tenure on the council.[2] Platt resigned her council seat shortly after her election to Parliament in 2017.[3]

Parliamentary career

Platt was elected as the first female MP for Leigh at the 2017 General Election,[4] succeeding Andy Burnham who stood down following his election as Greater Manchester Mayor.[5] Upon election, Platt advocated greater investment for post-industrial towns, restoring rail connectivity, increased local post-16 education provision and highlighting opportunities arising from devolution.[6][7]

Platt was a briefly member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee in 2017, but sat on the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee from 2017 to 2018.[8]

Platt was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Angela Rayner,[9] Shadow Education Secretary, in July 2017. She held the position until July 2018, when she was promoted as a Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office, focusing on cybersecurity, government digital projects, digital identity, outsourcing and government implementation.[10] She criticised the Government's cybersecurity record in her role,[11][12] as well as their handling of Huawei's involvement in the UK's 5G infrastructure.[13][14][15] 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.[16] She also advocated the uptake of the cyber profession amongst those with neurodiverse conditions.[17]

Platt set up and chaired the All Party Parliamentary Group on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, informing and advising Ministers of the barriers those with ADHD face and the change that is required. In August 2018, she asked every clinical commissioning group (CCG) across the country what their average waiting time for ADHD diagnosis was, ultimately revealing some were waiting an average of two years for a diagnosis.[18] She presented the findings to Prime Minister Theresa May during Prime Minister's Questions, securing a commitment from her to explore whether waiting times could be published to encourage a better diagnosis and treatment.[19]

Platt lost her seat at the 2019 general election to the Conservative Party candidate, James Grundy.[20] The result saw the largest 2017 majority for a party overturned in the country, and was the first time Labour lost the seat since 1922.

In 2022, Platt was selected as the prospective parliamentary candidate for Leigh at the next general election.[21]

Personal

Platt has two children. Since leaving Parliament Platt has [22] worked for the charity Leigh Building Preservation Trust, at a local heritage site Leigh Spinners which is a Grade II* listed mill in the centre of Leigh. Platt is tasked with the management of renovating the building to house heritage, small business, enterprise, arts and culture. Whilst at Leigh Spinners Mill, she has co-created a Co-operatives UK company,[23][24] Leigh Spinners CBS, in order to drive further development for the site. Platt continues to campaign on local and national issues such as Long COVID,[25][26] after contracting the virus in March 2020.

References
  1. "Local Election Results". apps.wigan.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  2. Platt, Cllr Jo. "Cllr Jo Platt on about.me". about.me. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  3. "2017 Astley Mosley Common by-election result" (PDF).
  4. "Leigh parliamentary constituency – Election 2017". BBC News. Archived from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  5. "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.
  6. "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.
  7. "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.
  8. "Jo Platt MP". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 7 January 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
  9. "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.
  10. "Frontbench role for MP Jo Platt". www.wigantoday.net. 11 July 2018. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  11. "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.
  12. "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.
  13. "Potential Huawei 5G deal questioned by Opposition – News from Parliament". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  14. "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.
  15. "UK to allow Huawei to help build 5G". 24 April 2019. Archived from the original on 5 May 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  16. "'A vibrant cyber sector could revitalise post-industrial towns' – Labour MP Platt". PublicTechnology.net. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  17. "Jo Platt and Chris Green debate". www.parallelparliament.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  18. 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. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  19. "Engagements – Hansard". hansard.parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  20. "Ex-Leigh MP Jo Platt says Labour has 'lost seat that resembles heart and soul' of movement". Manchester Evening News. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  21. Neame, Katie. "Our rolling list of Labour parliamentary candidate selections". LabourList. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  22. "Former MP named first general manager of Leigh Spinners Mill project". Leigh Journal. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  23. "New co-operative formed to drive development at historic borough mill". www.wigantoday.net. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  24. "Leigh Spinners Mill CBS | Co-operatives UK". www.uk.coop. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  25. Otter, Saffron (13 September 2020). "Public health timebomb - What if coronavirus stays with you for life?". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
  26. Cox, Charlotte (12 April 2021). "The kids who've had Covid for a year and the war against a health timebomb". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
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