Virginia Crosbie

Virginia Crosbie
Born	(1966-12-08) December 8, 1966 Maldon, Essex, England
Occupation(s)	Politician, Partner at Nuclear Capital LLP
Years active	2019–2024 (MP)
Known for	Member of Parliament for Ynys Môn (2019–2024)

Virginia Ann Crosbie (born 8 December 1966) is a former British politician who represented the Ynys Môn constituency as a MP from 2019 until the 2024 election. Affiliated with the Conservative Party, she currently holds a partnership role at Nuclear Capital LLP, an investment firm dedicated to funding emerging initiatives within the nuclear industry.

Prior to her political career, Crosbie gained experience working at financial institutions such as UBS and HSBC.

Early life

Crosbie was born in Maldon, Essex to a Welsh father and an English mother. She was raised in the village of Tiptree, where her mother was employed by the Tiptree Jam Factory. Her education included attendance at Colchester County High School, and during her teenage years, she worked as a dolphin trainer on the BBC children’s program Animal Magic. She pursued microbiology studies at Queen Mary University of London and later obtained a diploma in management studies from the University of Westminster. Additionally, she completed a Corporate Finance course at London Business School.

Crosbie’s early professional path began at Glaxo Wellcome, followed by roles as a pharmaceutical analyst at UBS and subsequently at HSBC. She later retrained to become a part-time mathematics teacher.

Motivated by personal experiences with miscarriage, she chaired the charity Save the Baby at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington. Crosbie also held a directorship at Women2Win.

Parliamentary career

In the 2017 general election, Crosbie stood as the Conservative candidate for the Rhondda seat, finishing third behind Labour and Plaid Cymru candidates. Subsequently, she served as deputy chair for the Kensington, Chelsea and Fulham Conservatives Association and acted as director of Women2Win, an organisation supporting female Conservative MPs. She also gained parliamentary experience working as a senior researcher for MP Maria Miller.

Following the withdrawal of Chris Davies, Crosbie was selected on 14 November 2019 as the Conservative candidate for Ynys Môn. In the 2019 general election, she won the seat with a majority of 1,968 votes (5.4%), marking the first Conservative victory in that constituency since 1987 and ending Labour’s hold since 2001.

In January 2020, she introduced an early day motion advocating for Welsh language protection. From February 2020 until August 2021, Crosbie was Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Department of Health and Social Care. She then served as PPS to the Wales Office from September 2021 to July 2022, returning to this role between September 2023 and January 2024.

Throughout most of her parliamentary term, she was a member of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee and sat on the Women and Equalities Committee between March and September 2020. In July 2020, Crosbie issued an apology regarding translation errors on Welsh language websites and subsequently launched a bilingual website in 2023. Her first interview conducted in Welsh was broadcast in 2022.

Crosbie successfully campaigned to preserve Ynys Môn’s status during the UK Boundary Changes review, preventing its amalgamation with mainland constituencies. In January 2021, she initiated a campaign aiming to train 100 Anglesey residents in mental health first aid and launched a long-term "Hidden Heroes" initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic. Locally, she advocated for enhanced broadband infrastructure, increased availability of defibrillators, construction of a third Menai crossing, reversal of the Welsh Government’s default 20mph speed limit policy, establishment of a new medical centre in Holyhead, concerns over extensive solar farm developments affecting rural areas, and introduction of an Aldi supermarket in Amlwch.

In response to government plans for freeports in Wales in 2020, Crosbie established the Anglesey Freeport Bidding Consortium comprising Anglesey Council, Stena Line (owners of Holyhead Port), Bangor University, and M-SParc. This coalition formed the foundation for Anglesey’s successful freeport bid announced in March 2023 by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and First Minister Mark Drakeford.

In 2023, Crosbie played a pivotal role in securing £20 million in UK government funding for refurbishing Holyhead Breakwater. She also supported Anglesey County Council’s successful applications for £2.7 million from the Community Renewal Fund and £17.3 million through Levelling Up funding aimed at Holyhead regeneration projects.

A committed proponent of nuclear power, Crosbie founded and chaired the Nuclear Delivery Group starting December 2020 while leading All-Party Parliamentary Groups focused on Nuclear Energy and Small Modular Reactors. She is an outspoken supporter of constructing a new nuclear facility at Wylfa on Anglesey. Nicknamed "Atomic Kitten" during Commons debates, she influenced inclusion of nuclear energy within Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s green taxonomy announced in his 2023 budget statement. In September 2023, Prime Minister Sunak identified Wylfa as a preferred site; by March 2024 government plans confirmed development of a gigawatt-scale nuclear power plant there with UK government acquisition of the site underway.

Crosbie facilitated visits by leading nuclear industry firms such as Bechtel, Westinghouse, Rolls-Royce, Kepco Power, alongside representatives from the US Energy Department to Wylfa. She has also toured international nuclear facilities including those in Finland, Georgia (USA), and Hinkley Point.

She voiced opposition to large-scale solar farm projects on Anglesey through constituent surveys and parliamentary discussions. Representing those affected by the Post Office scandal locally, Crosbie secured ministerial meetings on their behalf.

In July 2022, Crosbie resigned from her PPS role at the Wales Office due to dissatisfaction with Boris Johnson’s handling of the Chris Pincher controversy and endorsed Sajid Javid during that year’s Conservative leadership contest.

Following safety concerns after MP Sir David Amess’s murder in January 2023, she revealed wearing a stab vest when meeting constituents after reporting approximately thirty threats since her election.

Crosbie apologized for briefly attending an event during December 2020 COVID-19 restrictions; investigations concluded no regulations had been violated. Reappointed PPS to the Wales Office in July 2023, she sponsored a Private Member's Bill—the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill—which received royal assent that year ensuring hospitality workers will receive full tips starting from 2024.

She has been an active advocate for farmers on Anglesey, spearheading efforts to reform livestock protection legislation through ten-minute rule bills that influenced forthcoming laws. Serving on Agriculture and Environmental Bill Committees, she brought DEFRA Farming Minister Mark Spencer to attend Anglesey Agricultural Show. Additionally, she supported campaigns urging supermarkets to clearly label British produce.

After campaigning for improvements at Ty Croes railway station platform height standards, £1 million was secured for installing a Harrington Hump there.

Participation in the Parliamentary Armed Forces Scheme saw her support RAF Valley developments including welcoming an announced £175 million investment in December 2021.

Crosbie led parliamentary debates addressing rail services on the West Coast Mainline franchise, impacts from Menai Suspension Bridge closures, and freeport initiatives across Wales. She criticized Avanti West Coast’s contract renewal process and delays postponing Menai Bridge repairs until roughly 2026.

After Welsh Government abandoned plans for a third Menai Strait bridge in 2023 citing climate objectives, Crosbie launched a campaign emphasizing its economic necessity based on impact assessments.

She has actively promoted enhanced digital connectivity throughout Anglesey.

To mark King Charles III’s coronation in May 2023, Crosbie distributed Union Flag bunting across Ynys Môn.

Focusing on regional economic growth, she welcomed RAF Valley’s £175 million investment announcement and helped facilitate establishment of an HMRC Inland Border Facility creating approximately two hundred jobs in Holyhead. In 2023 she introduced her Local Jobs for Local People initiative securing commitments from local and international employers to prioritise recruiting Anglesey residents.

During Business Questions in September 2023, Crosbie raised concerns regarding Wales’ uniform application of a 20mph speed limit; Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt described it as "absolutely insane," though Crosbie supported limits near sensitive locations such as schools and hospitals.

Her local campaigns include efforts to bring Aldi supermarkets to Amlwch—resulting in Penny Mordaunt pledging its opening with ceremonial sword—opposition to double yellow lines installation through Brynsiencyn village, and advocacy for constructing a new health centre in Holyhead.

Throughout her tenure she participated on numerous legislative committees including those related to Seafarers Wages Bill, British Sign Language Bill, Shark Fin Bill, Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill, Health and Care Bill alongside Women and Equalities Committee membership.

During her time in office Crosbie hosted over thirty ministerial visits to Anglesey—including two sitting Prime Ministers—and raised more than £40,000 for local charities. She honoured community leaders through receptions held at Downing Street.

Shortly after her election during Storm Dennis she assisted an online critic stranded due to flooding conditions.

In July 2024 Crosbie narrowly lost her Ynys Môn seat to Plaid Cymru candidate Llinos Medi by just 637 votes but expressed gratitude towards her supporters.

Post-parliamentary career

Following her loss in the 2024 general election, Crosbie took on the role of Partner at Nuclear Capital.

Personal life

Crosbie is married and has three children. Her brother Simon tragically passed away by suicide in 2018 at the age of 52.

After being elected in 2019, she dedicated herself to learning Welsh and successfully completed a basic speaking examination in July 2021.