Antonia Bance

Antonia Bance
Official portrait, 2024
Member of Parliament
for Tipton and Wednesbury
Assumed office
4 July 2024
Preceded byShaun Bailey
Majority3,385 (10.6%)
Member of Oxford City Council
for Rose Hill and Iffley
In office
4 May 2006 – 12 March 2013[1]
Preceded byWilliam Buckingham[2]
Succeeded byMichele Paule[2]
Personal details
PartyLabour
Alma materUniversity of Oxford (BA)

Antonia Kay Bance[3] is a British Labour Party politician who has been Member of Parliament for Tipton and Wednesbury since 2024.[4]

Early life and education

Bance grew up in South London.[5] She received a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Oxford, where she served as a Vice President of the Student Union.[6]

Professional career

Bance has worked as the Trades Union Congress's head of campaigns and communications.[7]

From 2011–2014, she was head of campaigns for Shelter.[1] Antonia has also worked on campaigning and public policy for the Diana Memorial Fund, Oxfam and YWCA. Bance was domestic violence charity SafeLives' director of policy and communications in 2014-15.[7]

Political career

Bance was the Labour Party candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon at the 2005 general election.[5][8]

She was elected to Oxford City Council in 2006, representing Rose Hill and Iffley, and re-elected in 2010.[9] She resigned from the Council in 2013 to focus on her job at Shelter.[1]

Bance supported Jon Cruddas in Labour's 2007 deputy leadership election,[10] and Ed Balls in the 2010 leadership election.[11] She supported Bridget Phillipson in the 2025 deputy leadership election.[12]

Personal life

Bance is a lesbian.[13][14] She has a daughter.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c Whittaker, Freddie (12 March 2013). "Antonia Bance joins Joe McManners in standing down from Oxford City Council". Oxford Mail.
  2. ^ a b Teale, Andrew. "Rose Hill and Iffley Ward — Oxford". Local Elections Archive Project.
  3. ^ "Members Sworn". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 752. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 10 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Tipton & Wednesbury | General Election 2024 | Sky News". election.news.sky.com. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Labour hopeful lends Kerry a hand". Oxford Mail. 25 October 2004. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  6. ^ "The new MPs who could influence higher education". iNHouse Communications. 19 July 2024. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  7. ^ a b Brown, Ellie (1 July 2025). "One year in Westminster: the MPs from housing". Inside Housing. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  8. ^ "Election 2005 | Results | Oxford West & Abingdon". BBC News. 6 May 2005. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  9. ^ Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. "Oxford City Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). The Elections Centre.
  10. ^ "The Insider: June 20, 2007". Oxford Mail. 20 June 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  11. ^ Bance, Antonia (13 September 2010). "Why I'm voting for Ed Balls". LabourList. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  12. ^ Bance, Antonia (10 September 2025). "'Why we are backing Bridget Phillipson for deputy leader'". LabourList. Retrieved 20 December 2025.
  13. ^ Woolcock, Nicola (22 January 2004). "'Lesbians want families just like everyone else'". The Daily Telegraph.
  14. ^ Reynolds, Andrew (5 July 2024). "Number of out LGBTQ+ MPs falls following election – but Labour has a reason to be proud". PinkNews.
  15. ^ Bance, Antonia (8 October 2024). "VAT: Independent Schools". Hansard.