Born in Ilkley, West Riding of Yorkshire, Jones was educated at the independent Bradford Grammar School and the University of Leeds. Jones worked for 25 years in various sales and marketing roles before becoming an MP. He chaired Conservative think-tank the Bow Group from 1999 to 2000. He became a member of Harrogate Borough Council for the High Harrogate ward in 2003. In 2007, he gained more than half of the votes in his ward. He became Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources on the council. Jones is a passionate cricket fan and has been a member of Yorkshire County Cricket Club for over twenty years.
Member of Parliament
On 6 May 2010, Jones was elected MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough ending 13 years of Liberal Democrat control. He secured this with a 9.1% swing. Jones had previously unsuccessfully contested the seat in 2001. Jones made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 22 June 2010. He served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Transport Secretary Justine Greening, and then to Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell. He was subsequently appointed as a Government Apprenticeship Ambassador and PPS to Jeremy Hunt, Secretary of State for Health. He joined the Regulatory Reform Select Committee in 2010. Jones has often taken part in campaigns related to transport such as dedicating himself to promoting a new high-speed rail link connecting London to Harrogate to promote commerce in the region and campaigning for greener buses. Jones has consistently voted in favour of homosexual rights and voted for same sex marriage. On 16 April 2013, Jones voted to remove the duty on the Commission for Equality and Human Rights. On 16 April 2013, Jones voted against making it illegal to discriminate on the basis of caste. Jones has consistently voted on 15 occasions for reducing housing benefit for social tenants deemed to have excess bedrooms. He has voted 53 times for a reduction in spending on welfare benefits. Jones campaigned to remain in the European Union during the 2016 European Union referendum. On 13 March 2019, he voted for a no-deal Brexit, backing the Malthouse amendment, which was defeated. On 8 January 2018, Jones was reshuffled from Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury to Vice Chair for Business Engagement within the Conservative Party HQ. On 12 November 2018, Jones was reappointed to the Department for Transport to replace Jo Johnson MP as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, a position he last held in 2017. He was removed from this role in July 2019, and currently has no ministerial responsibilities.
