Dan Jarvis was appointed as Secretary of State for Defence on 11 June 2026.

He was previously Minister of State at the Home Office from 6 July 2024 to 11 June 2026, and Minister of State at the Cabinet Office from 6 September 2025 to 11 June 2026.

Political career

Dan first entered Parliament as the Member for Barnsley Central in 2011 and was elected as the Member for Barnsley North in July 2024. In 2011 Dan became the first person since the Second World War to resign his commission in order to contest a parliamentary by-election.

Dan served in various shadow front bench roles between 2011 and 2015 before serving on the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy between 2017 and 2019.

In 2018, he was elected as the first Mayor of South Yorkshire. During his four-year term, he unlocked a devolution deal and led the region through Covid-19 and severe flooding.

After leaving the mayoralty, he was appointed Shadow Security Minister in September 2023.

Education and early career

Dan graduated from Aberystwyth University with a degree in International Politics and Strategic Studies before attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

From Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the Parachute Regiment and subsequently deployed to Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.

His service included: Platoon Commander with 1 Para, Aide-de-Camp to General Sir Mike Jackson, and Adjutant 3 Para.

On promotion to major, he worked as a staff planner in the Permanent Joint Headquarters and then at the Army’s Headquarters. He also served as a company commander in the Special Forces Support Group.

Personal life

In 2011 Dan was awarded an MBE for his service in the British Army, making him the first serving MP to be decorated for military service for a number of years.