Jonathan Gullis: From Conservative MP to Reform UK Council Leader
A detailed profile of Jonathan Gullis, covering his teaching background, parliamentary career, education role, 2024 election defeat, move to Reform UK, and return to elected office in local government.
Jonathan Gullis is a British politician, former teacher, and former Member of Parliament. He represented Stoke-on-Trent North in the House of Commons from December 2019 until May 2024 as a Conservative. After losing the seat at the 2024 general election, he remained active in public policy and politics. In December 2025, he left the Conservative Party and joined Reform UK. By May 2026, he had become Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and Cabinet Member for Planning and Town Centers.
This article explores Jonathan Gullis’s background, teaching career, time as the Conservative MP for Stoke-on-Trent North, brief ministerial role in education, defeat in the 2024 general election, move to Reform UK, and his later return to elected office in local government. It also highlights the key stages of his political journey, public roles, and the experience that has shaped his profile in British politics.
Who Is Jonathan Gullis?
Jonathan Gullis is known nationally for serving as the Conservative MP for Stoke-on-Trent North and briefly holding ministerial office at the Department for Education. Before entering Parliament, he worked in secondary education, including schools in London and Birmingham. His teaching background frequently influenced his political interests, especially school standards, attendance, behavior, technical education, and accountability.
Jonathan Gullis and His Teaching Background
Gullis studied International Relations with Law at Oxford Brookes University and later trained as a teacher. He has said he spent about eight years teaching in schools across London, Warwickshire, and Birmingham.
He also worked as a Head of Year, with responsibilities involving pastoral care and attendance.
How Education Shaped His Politics
Education became one of the most consistent themes of Gullis’s parliamentary work. He spoke about Ofsted, teacher recruitment, attendance, discipline, apprenticeships, and opportunities for pupils from working-class communities.
His classroom experience also provided a professional background for his later appointment to an education ministerial position.
Jonathan Gullis as MP for Stoke-on-Trent North
Gullis was elected to Parliament on 12 December 2019 as the Conservative MP for Stoke-on-Trent North. During his term, he focused on issues connected with Stoke-on-Trent, Kidsgrove, manufacturing communities, schools, transport, and local public services.
He also held parliamentary and Conservative Party positions during his time at Westminster.
Minister for School Standards
On 7 September 2022, Gullis was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Education, with responsibility for school standards. His tenure ended on 28 October 2022.
The role covered school accountability, teacher recruitment and retention, funding, attendance, behavior, exclusions, school sport, and education technology.
Other Political Roles
Gullis served as Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party from March 2024 until the end of his parliamentary term in May 2024.
Jonathan Gullis and the 2024 General Election
Jonathan Gullis lost Stoke-on-Trent North at the general election held on 4 July 2024. Labor candidate David Williams won with 14,579 votes, while Gullis received 9,497. Reform UK’s Karl Beresford received 8,824 votes.
Career After Parliament
Following his defeat, Gullis remained involved in policy and public affairs. He became a Senior Fellow at the Center for Social Justice, where his work has included education and social policy.
Jonathan Gullis Joins Reform UK
On 1 December 2025, Jonathan Gullis joined Reform UK after leaving the Conservative Party. He said the Conservatives had lost touch with the people they were meant to serve and pointed to migration, energy policy, and economic pressures when explaining his decision.
Return to Elected Office
In May 2026, Gullis was elected as a Reform UK councilor for Kidsgrove and Ravenscliffe on Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.
At the council’s annual meeting on 20 May 2026, he was appointed Leader of the Council for 2026–2030. He also became Leader of the Reform Group and Cabinet Member for Planning and Town Centers.
Responsibilities in Local Government
As council leader, Gullis is involved in decisions affecting planning, town centers, public spending, local services, and the overall direction of the borough administration. Reform UK won 27 seats in the May 2026 borough election, compared with 15 for the Conservatives and two for Labor.
Council records from 2026 show Gullis leading an administration that has addressed planning, local government reorganization, spending priorities, and town-center policy. His role therefore differs from his former Westminster position: instead of contributing to national legislation and ministerial policy, he now has direct responsibility for decisions made by a borough authority. That shift has placed local administration, service delivery, and planning at the center of his current political work.
Jonathan Gullis and His Public Political Profile
Jonathan Gullis has built much of his public political profile around education, local representation, school standards, working-class communities, and direct campaigning. Parliamentary records show that education, school accountability, attendance, and opportunities for disadvantaged pupils repeatedly appeared in his contributions at Westminster.
His later move from the Conservative Party to Reform UK marked a new phase in his political career and shifted his work increasingly toward local government.
Frequently Asked Questions About Jonathan Gullis
Who is Jonathan Gullis?
Jonathan Gullis is a British politician, former teacher, former Conservative MP, and current Reform UK councilor. He represented Stoke-on-Trent North from 2019 to 2024.
Which political party is Jonathan Gullis in now?
As of September 2026, Jonathan Gullis is a member of Reform UK. He joined the party on 1 December 2025.
Was Jonathan Gullis a government minister?
Yes. He served as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Education from 7 September to 28 October 2022.
Did Jonathan Gullis lose his parliamentary seat?
Yes. Gullis lost Stoke-on-Trent North in the 4 July 2024 general election. Labor candidate David Williams won the constituency.
What is Jonathan Gullis doing now?
As of September 2026, Gullis is Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Leader of the Reform Group, and Cabinet Member for Planning and Town Centers.
Conclusion
Jonathan Gullis has moved from teaching to Parliament, government office, electoral defeat, party change, and local council leadership. His years in education continue to influence his work, while his move from the Conservatives to Reform UK has created a new phase in his political career.
From representing Stoke-on-Trent North at Westminster to leading Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Jonathan Gullis remains active in British public life. His career shows how political work can continue outside Parliament through local government and policy roles.
