Christina Rees

Christina Rees
MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
Assumed office
9 February 2017
Leader Jeremy Corbyn
Shadowing Alun Cairns
Preceded by Jo Stevens
Member of Parliament
for Neath
Assumed office
8 May 2015
Preceded by Peter Hain
Majority 12,631 (33.0%)
Personal details
Born (1954-02-21) 21 February 1954
Kenfig Hill, Bridgend, Wales
Political party Labour Co-operative
Spouse(s) Ron Davies (Before 2000)
Alma mater Ystrad Mynach College
University of Wales
Website Official website

Christina Rees (born 21 February 1954)[1] is a British Labour Co-operative Party politician. She has been the MP for Neath since May 2015.[2][3]

Early life

Rees was born in the village of Kenfig Hill in south Wales. Her father died when she was a young teenager and she was brought up by her mother.[4]

Rees became head girl of Cynffig Comprehensive School and has excelled at a number of sports. Speaking as an adult, she explained that:

'I was very shy when I was a child and was bullied, so my mother sent me to judo classes to strengthen me up. I got a black belt first dan when I was 13'.[4]

Rees has represented Wales Schools at tennis, hockey and athletics. Rees was also a member of the Great Britain Youth Team that competed at the Munich Olympics.[4]

Rees was most successful at squash, a sport for which she has represented Wales over 100 times.[4]

Career

Rees is a qualified barrister.

Rees stood as the Labour candidate for Arfon in the Welsh Assembly elections in May 2011, and was placed fourth on the Labour's Wales wide list for the 2014 European Elections.

Rees first became MP for Neath following the UK general election of 2015.

Rees was appointed a Shadow Justice Minister in January 2016, but quit her position during the mass resignation of Shadow ministers following the EU referendum. She later became one of 33 Labour MPs to return to the front bench, again in the position of Shadow Justice Minister. In February 2017, she was appointed to the position of Shadow Secretary of State for Wales.[1]

Personal life

Rees was married to Welsh politician and former Secretary of State for Wales, Ron Davies. The couple divorced in 1999 and have one daughter.[4]

Rees is one of a handful of MPs who is vegan.

References

  1. 1 2 "Christina Rees MP". myparliament.info. MyParliament. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  2. ↑ "Election 2015: Neath parliamentary constituency". BBC News. 8 May 2015. Archived from the original on 30 December 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Election 2017: Neath parliamentary constituency". BBC News. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Profile: New Shadow Welsh Secretary Christina Rees". BBC News. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Peter Hain		 Member of Parliament
for Neath
2015–present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Jo Stevens		 Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
2017–present		 Incumbent


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