Gillian Keegan is the Conservative Candidate for the Chichester constituency.
Please follow this link to Gillian's website here: https://www.gilliankeegan.com
or Gillian's facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/conservatives.g.keegan/
Life before politics
Gillian was born in Leigh, Lancashire, went to primary school in Yorkshire and completed her secondary education at a comprehensive school in Knowsley, Merseyside. She started work as an apprentice at Delco Electronics, a subsidiary of General Motors in Kirkby aged 16. Whilst learning about the manufacturing industry she was sponsored to study a degree in Business Studies at Liverpool John Moores University.
For almost 30 years that followed she worked and lived abroad, working in the manufacturing, banking and IT industries. Most recently she was the Chief Marketing Officer for a global company in the travel technology sector, prior to that she was responsible for global customer sales and account management, based in Madrid for eight years. In 2010 Gillian spent a year studying a Sloan Fellowship master’s degree at London Business School primarily to update her knowledge on digital technology and to develop her strategy and leadership skills.
In 2014 she switched her focus to politics. She was first elected as a local councillor in October 2014 and in May 2015 she stood as a parliamentary candidate in St Helens South and Whiston, Merseyside, gaining second place for the Conservatives for the first time.
She is married to Michael (pictured) and has two stepsons.
Championing Chichester
Gillian is currently serving as the Secretary of State for Education
Gillian was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Chichester in June 2017, and re-elected in 2019. She is delighted to be standing for re-election as the Conservative Candidate for Chichester in the 2024 election. She was elected to the Public Accounts Select Committee in September 2017. The Committee scrutinises public spending and generally holds the government and its civil servants to account for the delivery of public services.
In December 2018, she was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Her Majesty’s Treasury serving the Ministerial portfolio.
Gillian was then later promoted to serve as the principal PPS at the Ministry of Defence serving the Secretary of State, and several months later she was elevated again to serve as the PPS to the Home Secretary, a position she held until August 2019. She also served as the PPS to the Health Secretary at the Department for Health and Social Care.
She has served in many Government positions, Gillian was elevated to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills - she was the first apprentice to hold this role. She then served as Minister of State at the Department for Health and Social Care, where she was the Minister responsible for Care and Mental Health. She also served as the Minister for Africa, integral in the planning for COP27.
Before entering Government, Gillian was very active, frequently participating in debates both in the Chamber and Westminster Hall. She sat on several All Party Parliamentary Groups on issues covering cancer care, international development and education.
When Rishi Sunak, became the Prime Minister in October 2022, he promoted Gillian to Cabinet, making her the Secretary of State for Education. In this role, she continued to champion apprenticeships, with a record number of degree apprenticeships, allowing you to become a lawyer, chartered accountant or doctor without the need to incur large students debts. She procured record levels of funding for schools, and continues to support SEN places, making sure that support is there for all additional needs. She announced a BSL GCSE course, the first of its kind in the UK. Gillian also led an absence task force, which has resulted in 380,000 fewer children persistently absent in schools in comparison to last year. She also announced the 21st Institute of Technology, delivering on the 2019 manifesto promise of 20 IOTs.
Gillian thoroughly enjoys visiting all areas of the constituency, supporting local businesses and individuals. She spends a large part of her week supporting the Chichester's constituents.