On the evening of the 2019 general election, Jonathan Reynolds’ political life flashed before his eyes. His seat of Stalybridge and Hyde, Greater Manchester, was one of those projected to fall to the Conservatives. “People start tweeting as if you’ve died,” he recalled with amusement. “They start writing things like, ‘Had a lot of time for Jonny Reynolds,’ or ‘Jonny Reynolds was a nice bloke.’”
Reports of his death had been much exaggerated. Reynolds survived with a reduced majority – it fell from 8,084 to 2,946 – and he is now poised to enter government in a week’s time. As shadow business and trade secretary since November 2021, he has overseen Labour’s transformed standing with industry.
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