Gillian Keegan
Gillian Keegan (née Gibson; born 13 March 1968) is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Education since 2022. She previously served as Minister of State for Care and Mental Health from 2021 to 2022, and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa from September to October 2022. Keegan has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Chichester since 2017. She is a member of the Conservative Party.
Gillian Keegan | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Secretary of State for Education | |
| Assumed office 25 October 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Rishi Sunak |
| Preceded by | Kit Malthouse |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa | |
| In office 8 September 2022 – 25 October 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Liz Truss |
| Preceded by | Vicky Ford |
| Succeeded by | Andrew Mitchell |
| Minister of State for Care and Mental Health | |
| In office 16 September 2021 – 7 September 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | Helen Whately Nadine Dorries |
| Succeeded by | Robert Jenrick Caroline Johnson |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills | |
| In office 14 February 2020 – 16 September 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | Anne Milton |
| Succeeded by | Alex Burghart |
| Member of Parliament for Chichester | |
| Assumed office 8 June 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Andrew Tyrie |
| Majority | 21,490 (35.1%) |
| Member of Chichester District Council for Rogate | |
| In office 23 October 2014 – 12 April 2018 | |
| Preceded by | John Kingston |
| Succeeded by | Kate O'Kelly |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 March 1968 Leigh, Lancashire, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse | Michael Keegan |
| Relatives | Denis Keegan (father-in-law) |
| Residence(s) | Petworth, West Sussex, England |
| Alma mater | Liverpool John Moores University London Business School |
| Website | gilliankeegan |
Keegan grew up in Huyton, Merseyside. She studied at Liverpool John Moores University and London Business School. She held senior positions in various business sectors, including as chief marketing officer for Travelport.
Keegan was a councillor on Chichester District Council from 2014 to 2018. She was elected to Parliament for Chichester at the 2017 general election. She was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Apprenticeships and Skills in the February 2020 reshuffle by Boris Johnson. In the 2021 cabinet reshuffle, Johnson promoted her to Minister of State for Care and Mental Health. She was demoted to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Africa when Liz Truss was appointed Prime Minister in September 2022. In October 2022, she was appointed Secretary of State for Education by new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.