Yvonne Fovargue


Yvonne Helen Fovargue is a British Labour Party politician who was elected Member of Parliament for Makerfield in 2010, succeeding Ian McCartney, who stepped down due to ill health.

Early life and career

Fovargue attended Sale Grammar School and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Leeds. In the 1980s, she worked as a housing officer on the Moss Side estate, before becoming the Chief Executive of St Helens Citizens Advice Bureau, a role she held for over 20 years.
She also served as a local councillor from 2004 until her election as an MP in 2010.

Parliamentary career

Fovargue was elected with a majority of 12,490 at the 2010 general election. She was appointed as an Opposition Whip in 2011 and served as Shadow Transport Minister and Shadow Defence Minister.
She was then appointed as a Shadow Education Minister with responsibility for Further Education and Skills in October 2014 following the resignation of Rushanara Ali. She resigned from this role in March 2019 after voting against the Labour whip in a vote on a second Brexit referendum.
She supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace Jeremy Corbyn in the 2016 Labour Party leadership election.
Yvonne Fovargue is a member of the Unite trade union and the Co-operative Party.
Fovargue supported neighboring MP Lisa Nandy in the 2020 Labour Party leadership election.

Personal life

Fovargue is married with one adult daughter. She is also a member of Mensa and an avid reader of crime fiction.