About Harriett
Harriett in Parliament
Harriett was elected as the Member of Parliament for West Worcestershire in May 2010, where she has lived since 2006. She was made a Dame in March 2024, for Parliamentary and Public Service.
She served as a member of the Work and Pensions Select Committee and from September 2012 to February 2014 she served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for Employment in the Department of Work and Pensions. Harriett has represented the UK on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, was elected Chair of the All-party Parliamentary Group for Russia and Vice-chair of the All-party Parliamentary Group for Occupational Pensions until she stood down in 2014.
Harriett was appointed to become the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Russia before joining the Government in February 2014 as Assistant Government Whip. In the July 2014 reshuffle she was promoted to Lord Commissioner to HM Treasury. Following her re-election in 2015, Harriett became Economic Secretary to the Treasury (City Minister). In July 2016, Harriett was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Defence responsible for Defence Procurement.
At the 2019 WWCA AGM Harriett was formally adopted as Parliamentary Candidate for West Worcestershire for the December General Election. Harriett won the seat with an increased majority of 24,499.
She was then re-elected on 4th July 2024 with a significant majority, and continues to represent her constituents in parliament.
Personal Life
Harriett was born in Hertfordshire and spent her early childhood in Cyprus. Harriett grew up in the village of Felsted in the heart of rural Essex, where her father, Tony Eggleston OBE, was headmaster of the local school. Harriett read Modern Languages (French and Russian) at Oxford, receiving First Class Honours and obtained an MBA from McGill University in Canada.
Harriett is married to Jim Baldwin, a businessman and television producer. Jim is also a social and industrial historian whose interests include canals, bridges and steam trains. Between them, they have two daughters and a son, the youngest of whom was born in 1995. They live in the Teme Valley.
Harriett’s Experience
Harriett has enjoyed a successful 20 year career in finance, specialising in currency markets for pension funds. She was on the National Council of Business for Sterling. She fought Stockton North for the Conservatives in 2005, gaining a 3.6% swing. Her motivation for going into politics was that she could see that Gordon Brown as Chancellor had set Britain on an unsustainable financial path.
She was Vice Chair of the Board of the Social Investment Business and and Chair of the Investment Committee from 2008-2012. The Social Investment Business helps charities and social enterprises with finance.
Harriett supports many local charities. She has been a Home-Start volunteer, is a Friend of Community Action, the Nora Parsons Day Centre, the League of Friends of Malvern, Tenbury and Pershore hospitals and FOAG, to name a few. She is also an associate Governor at Hallow Church of England Primary School.
Harriett has always worked to encourage more women to get involved in politics and to work in financial services. She was a Changemaker for the charity "Working Families", which campaigns for more workplace flexibility.