Benjamin Obese-Jecty (/ˌɒbsiːˈdʒɛktiː/,[1] born September 1979) is a British Conservative politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Huntingdon since 2024.[2]
Ben Obese-Jecty | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for Huntingdon | |
| Assumed office 4 July 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Jonathan Djanogly |
| Majority | 1,499 (2.9%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 1979 (age 45) Kingston-upon-Thames, Greater London, England |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Alma mater | Kingston University Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst |
| Website | benobese-jecty |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | British Army |
| Years of service | 2004–2012 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Duke of Wellington's Regiment Yorkshire Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War War in Afghanistan |
Early life
editObese-Jecty's father was originally Ghanaian and came to Britain on the SS Apapa as a four year old in 1953.[3] He is mixed race, with his mother being white and English.[4] He attended university before joining the British Army.[5]
Military service
editHaving attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Obese-Jecty was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment on 11 December 2004, with seniority in that rank from 15 December 2001.[6] He was promoted to lieutenant on the same day, 11 December 2004, with seniority in that rank from 15 December 2003.[6] He moved to the Yorkshire Regiment after his first regiment was merged with others to form it in 2006.[7] He was promoted to captain on 11 June 2007.[7]
Obese-Jecty served a tour of duty in Iraq as a battle casualty replacement, "only three months after completing [his] training".[8] From 2009 to 2010, as part of Operation Herrick 11, he served a tour in Afghanistan in an "embedded partnership role mentoring the Afghan National Army's 2nd Kandak" in Sangin, Helmand Province.[9]
Obese-Jecty moved to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers on 11 December 2012, thereby ending his active military service.[10]
Professional career
editAfter leaving the British Army in 2012, he moved into banking.[11]
Obese-Jecty spent two years as an academy trustee at Esher Sixth Form College from 2021 to 2023.[12]
Political career
editIn the 2019 general election, Obese-Jecty was selected for the Conservative Party in the safe Labour seat of Hackney North and Stoke Newington against then Labour Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott. He finished second behind Abbott achieving 11.9% of the vote.[13] During the campaign Obese-Jecty was subjected to racial slurs from other black people because he was standing for the Conservative Party.[14]
In September 2023, Obese-Jecty was selected as the Conservative candidate to succeed Jonathan Djanogly as Member of Parliament (MP) for Huntingdon.[15] At the 2024 general election, he was elected as the next MP for Huntingdon with 18,257 votes and a majority of 1,499 over the second-placed Labour candidate.[16]
Obese-Jecty gave his maiden speech on 22 July 2024, during the King's Speech debate on the Economy, Welfare and Public Services.[17]
References
edit- ^ Ben Obese-Jecty (25 June 2024). Ben Obese-Jecty, Your local Conservative Candidate for Huntingdon. Retrieved 31 August 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ "BREAKING: Ben Obese-Jecty elected as Conservative MP in Huntingdon". The Hunts Post. 5 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ Obese-Jecty, Ben (22 June 2023). "Windrush is a story of strivers, not victims". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ Ben Obese-Jecty MP [@BenObeseJecty] (23 May 2023). "As I said, ethnically I'm mixed race; my mother is white and English. Which one of your parents is Chinese? Of course this all neatly illustrates my original point…" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 July 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ Elworthy, John (24 September 2023). "Conservatives choose Benjamin Obese-Jecty for new Huntingdon seat - Peterborough & Cambridgeshire News". CambsNews.co.uk. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ a b "No. 57541". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 January 2005. p. 835.
- ^ a b "No. 58381". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 July 2007. p. 9551.
- ^ "A little about Ben..." Ben Obese-Jecty. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ Obese-Jecty, Ben (17 August 2021). "Here's why the Afghan army that I helped to train fell so quickly". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "No. 60511". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 May 2013. p. 10033.
- ^ "From public duty to private sector". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "Benjamin OBESE-JECTY". Companies House. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
- ^ "Election 2019: Hackney North & Stoke Newington parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ Obese-Jecty, Ben (8 July 2024). "Standing for the Tories made me the 'wrong' type of black success". The Times. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
House Negro. Token. Sellout: words that, until recently, I hadn't heard directed at me in my adult life. Following a decade in the British Army my tolerance for offence is set fairly high, but this was different. That the worst abuse I've experienced came exclusively from the black community is as shocking as it is disappointing.
- ^ Atkinson, William (25 September 2023). "'Very impressive' Obese-Jecty selected for Huntingdon from a 'very competitive field'". Conservative Home. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "Huntingdon - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
- ^ "King's Speech Debate: Economy, Welfare and Public Services". Hansard. 752. 22 July 2024.