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Kate Osborne
British Labour politician From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Katharine Helen Osborne[1] (born 18 June)[2] is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Jarrow and Gateshead East, formerly Jarrow since 2019. [3][4]
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Career
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Osborne worked for Royal Mail for 25 years. Her first foray into politics came in 2009, when she contested a by-election for Preston ward on North Tyneside Council, losing to Conservative David Sarin.[5] The following year, Osborne was elected to represent the ward at the 2010 local elections, gaining the seat from the Conservative incumbent. She was re-elected to represent Preston in 2014, and again in 2018.[6][7][8] Osborne did not stand at the 2022 North Tyneside elections.[9]
She was elected to the House of Commons at the 2019 United Kingdom general election, representing Jarrow, a safe seat for Labour. She succeeded the party's former MP Stephen Hepburn, who had been prevented from standing again over allegations of misconduct.[10] Osborne is a member of Labour's left-wing Socialist Campaign Group.[11]
Osborne was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Shadow Home Affairs team, led by Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, in January 2020.[12] She served until the front bench reshuffle following Keir Starmer's election as Labour Leader in April 2020. Osborne returned as a PPS in December 2021, this time to the Shadow Northern Ireland team led by Shadow Secretary of State Peter Kyle.[13]
In 2021, she was selected for the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, assigned to the Royal Air Force.[14]
During the June 2022 rail strikes, Osborne joined a picket line with railway workers, reportedly going against orders from her party not to do so. Commenting, she said, "Solidarity to workers on strike today, they have my full support."[15]
In December 2023, Osborne came under scrutiny for accusing Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch of likening trans children to "the spread of a disease" during a parliamentary meeting. When asked by Badenoch, Osborne failed to identify when Badenoch said this. Osborne was later accused of making up quotes that didn't exist.[16]
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Personal life
Osborne is an activist and campaigner in the trade union and LGBT+ movements.[17]
She was[citation needed] married to Pamela Brooks,[18] a former North Tyneside councillor.[6][19] The couple served on the council at the same time, including four years in which they both represented Preston ward.[20] Brooks gained Preston from the Conservative candidate who had defeated her partner in 2009. Osborne has two sons and lives in her Jarrow constituency.[21]
On 16 March 2020, Osborne became the second British Member of Parliament to test positive for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), after Conservative Nadine Dorries.[22] She was in self-isolation in her London flat for three weeks.[23][24]
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