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Emma Reynolds

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The Right Honourable
Emma Reynolds
MP
Official portrait, 2024
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Incumbent
Assumed office
20 July 2026
Prime MinisterAndy Burnham
Preceded byLucy Rigby
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
In office
5 September 2025 – 20 July 2026
Prime MinisterKeir Starmer
Preceded bySteve Reed
Succeeded byAngela Eagle
Junior ministerial offices
Economic Secretary to the Treasury
City Minister
In office
14 January 2025 – 5 September 2025
Prime MinisterKeir Starmer
Preceded byTulip Siddiq
Succeeded byLucy Rigby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions
Parliamentary Secretary for the Treasury
In office
9 July 2024 – 14 January 2025
Prime MinisterKeir Starmer
Preceded byPaul Maynard (Pensions)
The Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Treasury)
Succeeded byTorsten Bell
Shadow portfolios
Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
In office
8 May 2015 – 14 September 2015
LeaderHarriet Harman (acting)
Preceded byHilary Benn
Succeeded byJon Trickett
Shadow Minister for Housing
In office
7 October 2013 – 8 May 2015
LeaderEd Miliband
Preceded byJack Dromey
Succeeded byJohn Healey
Shadow Minister for Europe
In office
7 October 2010 – 7 October 2013
LeaderEd Miliband
Preceded byWayne David
Succeeded byGareth Thomas
Member of Parliament
Incumbent
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded bySteve Baker
ConstituencyWycombe
In office
6 May 2010 – 6 November 2019
Preceded byKen Purchase
Succeeded byJane Stevenson
ConstituencyWolverhampton North East
Personal details
BornEmma Elizabeth Reynolds
(1977-11-02) 2 November 1977 (age 48)
Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England
PartyLabour
Spouse
Richard Stevens
​
(m. 2016)​
Children2
Education
Occupation
  • Politician
  • political advisor
Websitegov.uk/government/people/emma-reynolds--2

Emma Elizabeth Reynolds (born 2 November 1977) is a British politician who has served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury since 2026. A member of the Labour Party, she previously served as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from 2025 to 2026. Reynolds has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wycombe since 2024, and was previously the MP for Wolverhampton North East from 2010 to 2019.

Born in Wolverhampton, Reynolds was educated at Codsall High School and Wulfrun College. She studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Wadham College, Oxford, and later set up her own lobbying business. After working as a political adviser, she was elected to the House of Commons in 2010. She served on the shadow frontbench under Ed Miliband from 2010 to 2015 and was briefly shadow housing secretary under Harriet Harman, before resigning after Jeremy Corbyn became party leader in 2015. She lost her seat at the 2019 general election and subsequently worked as a lobbyist for TheCityUK.

After returning to Parliament at the 2024 general election, Reynolds served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions and then Economic Secretary to the Treasury under Keir Starmer. In the 2025 cabinet reshuffle, Reynolds was promoted to cabinet as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. After Andy Burnham became Prime Minister in 2026, she was appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

Early life and education

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Reynolds was born on 2 November 1977.[1] She was educated at Codsall High School in Codsall, Staffordshire, followed by Wulfrun College in nearby Wolverhampton. Reynolds studied at Wadham College, Oxford, where she read Politics, Philosophy and Economics.[2] Her stepfather Kevin taught at Concord College, an independent boarding school set in the grounds of Acton Burnell Castle, near Shrewsbury.

Early career

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Reynolds set up a lobbying business in Brussels to help British companies that wished to influence EU laws.[3][4]

From 2001 to 2004, Reynolds worked in Brussels as a political adviser to Robin Cook, then President of the Party of European Socialists.[5] She later worked in Downing Street and the House of Commons[6] as a special advisor to then Minister for Europe and Government Chief Whip Geoff Hoon.[2]

In January 2009, Reynolds joined commercial public affairs consultancy Cogitamus, which gives advice to companies.[7]

First Parliamentary career

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Election and early career (2010)

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Reynolds was selected as the Labour candidate for the 2010 general election for Wolverhampton North East in September 2008. Despite a 9% swing to the Conservatives and a reduction in majority of more than 6,000, she held the seat for Labour.[2][8][9]

Reynolds spoke in the House of Commons on Building Schools for the Future, free school meals, human trafficking, cuts to police numbers and Mental Health Services.[10] Shortly after her election in 2010 Reynolds was also elected to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee of the House of Commons.

Shadow frontbench (2010–2015)

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In October 2010, Reynolds was promoted by Labour's new leader, Ed Miliband, to the opposition frontbench as a shadow junior Foreign Office Minister under the then Shadow Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper.[11] After the resignation of the Shadow Chancellor Alan Johnson and resulting mini-reshuffle of posts, Reynolds continued working in her post under the new Shadow Foreign Secretary, Douglas Alexander.[12] In October 2011, Emma Reynolds was promoted by Labour leader, Ed Miliband, to the position of Shadow Europe Minister. In October 2013, Reynolds was promoted by Ed Miliband to the position of Shadow Housing Minister, replacing Jack Dromey. In May 2015, after the 2015 general election, Reynolds was promoted to the position of Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary by acting leader of the Labour Party Harriet Harman, following the resignation of Ed Miliband.

Later career and defeat (2015–2019)

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Official portrait, 2018

Reynolds resigned as Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government following the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party.[13] She later supported Owen Smith in the 2016 Labour Party leadership election.[citation needed]

She was defeated in the 2019 election by the Conservatives' Jane Stevenson.[14]

Career outside Parliament (2019–2024)

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Following her departure from parliament in 2019, Reynolds was appointed as Managing Director of Public Affairs, Policy & Research at TheCityUK, a special interest group lobbying the UK Government on behalf of the financial sector.[15][16] While working for TheCityUK, Reynolds lobbied the UK government to avoid placing China in the strictest category of rules for the registering foreign influence,[17][18] but denied representing Chinese businesses or the Chinese government.[19]

Return to Parliament

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Election and junior ministerial career (2024–2025)

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On 19 November 2022, Reynolds was selected to be the Labour Party's Parliamentary candidate for Wycombe at the 2024 general election.[20]

At the election, Reynolds was elected with a majority of 4,591 over the incumbent MP, former Conservative minister Steve Baker.[21] She became the first Labour MP elected for the Wycombe constituency since 1950 as well as becoming the first female Labour MP for the constituency.[citation needed]

On 9 July 2024, Reynolds joined the government frontbench as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Pensions and Parliamentary Secretary for the Treasury under Keir Starmer.[22] On 14 January 2025, she was appointed Economic Secretary to the Treasury, following the resignation of Tulip Siddiq.[23]

Environment Secretary (2025–2026)

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Reynolds attending cabinet in March 2026.

In the 2025 cabinet reshuffle, Reynolds was appointed Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.[24]

In December 2025, Reynolds announced the government's updated animal welfare strategy, including a ban on trail hunting, snare traps, and puppy farming, phaseout of farrowing crates for pigs and colony cages for egg-laying hens, and new humane slaughter standards for pigs and fish.[25][26]

Chief Secretary to the Treasury (2026–present)

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On 20 July 2026, Reynolds was appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury by Andy Burnham.[27]

Personal life

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Reynolds enjoys running and used to play football. She also enjoys pubs and going to the cinema.[28]

Reynolds married solicitor Richard Stevens in April 2016.[29] They had their first son on 14 April 2017[30] and their second in May 2019.[citation needed]

Political positions

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Reynolds is former Treasurer of the All-Party Parliamentary China Group[31] and Vice Chair for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for British Sikhs,[32] as well as Secretary of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking.

Views on the European Union

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In an online article for the New Labour pressure group Progress in 2011, Reynolds said that "Britain's membership of the European Union is in our national interest".[33]

In an October 2012 interview with the Total Politics website, Reynolds called for the eurozone countries to integrate more closely. She also said she had differing opinions with Jon Cruddas, Labour's policy review chief, on whether having a referendum on the EU was a priority.[34] In the run-up to the 2016 EU referendum, Reynolds campaigned for Britain Stronger in Europe.[35]

Honours

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On 10 September 2025, Reynolds was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council, entitling her to the honorific style The Right Honourable for life.[36][37]

References

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  1. ↑ "Meet Wycombe's new Labour MP Emma Reynolds as she is reintroduced to Westminster". Bucks Free Press. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Staff writer (29 September 2008). "Labour candidate selected". Express & Star. Retrieved 12 April 2011.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  3. ↑ Reynolds, Emma. "Biography". emmareynolds.org.uk. Emma Reynolds. Archived from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  4. ↑ Reynolds, Emma. "Biography". emmareynolds.org.uk. Emma Reynolds. Archived from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  5. ↑ "Emma Reynolds MP". parliamentaryrecord.com. Westminster Parliamentary Record. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  6. ↑ "Emma Reynolds: biography". politics.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  7. ↑ Staff writer (14 January 2009). "Labour candidate takes Cogitamus role". Public Affairs News. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  8. ↑ Dunn, Ray (7 May 2010). "General Election 2010: Full Midland results and stats". Birmingham Mail. Archived from the original on 17 September 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  9. ↑ "Meet the new MPs: watch video interviews with the new intake at Westminster". Sky News. Archived from the original on 18 July 2010. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
  10. ↑ "Emma Reynolds". theyworkforyou.com. TheyWorkForYou. Archived from the original on 14 June 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2010.
  11. ↑ "Ed Miliband's shadow cabinet and ministerial teams". BBC News. 12 October 2010. Archived from the original on 13 October 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  12. ↑ "Alan Johnson 'to quit front-line politics'". BBC News. 20 January 2011. Archived from the original on 21 January 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  13. ↑ "WATCH: Black Country MP Tom Watson named deputy leader of Labour Party – while Wolverhampton MP Emma Reynolds resigns from shadow cabinet". Express & Star. 12 September 2015. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  14. ↑ "Wolverhampton North East parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  15. ↑ "TheCityUK appoints former MP to head up Public Affairs, Policy & Research". TheCityUK. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  16. ↑ Wickham, Alex (17 December 2024). "UK Minister Recently Lobbied Against Tough China Business Curbs". Bloomberg. Retrieved 28 January 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  17. ↑ Wickham, Alex (17 December 2024). "UK Minister Recently Lobbied Against Tough China Business Curbs". Bloomberg. Retrieved 28 January 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  18. ↑ Mason, Rowena (15 January 2025). "No 10 accused of having 'revolving door' after new Treasury minister embroiled in China row". The Guardian.
  19. ↑ "London Playbook PM: Bumpy landing ahead for Reeves". Politico. 28 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  20. ↑ "Emma Reynolds for Wycombe". Emma Reynolds. October 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  21. ↑ Smith, Charlie (5 July 2024). "Labour's Emma Reynolds beats Steve Baker in Wycombe". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  22. ↑ "Ministerial Appointments: July 2024". GOV.UK. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  23. ↑ "Ministerial Appointments: 14 January 2025". GOV.UK. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  24. ↑ "Ministerial appointments: September 2025". gov.uk. Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  25. ↑ Prior, Malcolm; Kennedy, Duncan; Aikman, Ian (22 December 2025). "Hen cages and pig farrowing crates face ban". BBC. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  26. ↑ "Defra announces biggest animal welfare reforms in a generation". Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs. 21 December 2025. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  27. ↑ "Ministerial Appointments: July 2026". GOV.UK. 23 July 2026. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  28. ↑ Brar, Gurpreet (16 October 2009). "Breaking politics and political news for Westminster and the UK". PoliticsHome. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  29. ↑ "Love is in the air: Wolverhampton MP ties the knot". Express & Star. 20 April 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  30. ↑ "'I campaigned with a newborn,' says Labour's Emma Reynolds". BBC News. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  31. ↑ "Register Of All-Party Groups as at 14 October 2012 : China". parliament.uk. House of Commons. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  32. ↑ "Register Of All-Party Groups as at 30 July 2015 : Sikhs". parliament.uk. House of Commons. Archived from the original on 2 July 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  33. ↑ Reynolds, Emma (6 October 2011). "David Cameron's eurosceptic containment strategy is failing". progressonline.org.uk. Progress. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2011.
  34. ↑ "TP JRF coffee club interview: Emma Reynolds". Total Politics. 1 October 2012. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  35. ↑ "Launch of Britain Stronger in Europe". Twitter. 12 October 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  36. ↑ "Emma Reynolds sworn as Privy Counsellor". privycouncil.independent.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2026.
  37. ↑ "Privy Council Meeting 10 September 2025". Privy Council Office. Retrieved 1 September 2025.
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