Labour General Secretary Hollie Ridley to Resign After September Conference

Hollie Ridley announced on Friday that she will resign as Labour Party general secretary after the party's annual conference in September. Ridley has served in the role for almost two years. She was appointed in October 2024, replacing David Evans, and was selected unopposed.

She began working for the party in 2011 as a trainee organiser. " He credited her with leading the ground campaign that contributed to Labour's 2024 general election victory. Jessica Morden, chair of Labour's parliamentary party, said Ridley delivered the first two Jo Cox women in leadership programmes and won the Peterborough by-election in 2019.

Ridley grew up in Dagenham, east London, as the daughter of a family support worker and a lorry driver. She ran Labour's field operations in the 2024 general election and spearheaded the party's win in the 2019 Peterborough by-election. She is the third female general secretary in Labour Party history.

Ridley contacted Andy Burnham's team and other senior figures in advance; Burnham is the only candidate so far to announce he is standing to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister. Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester and newly elected MP for Makerfield, is the only candidate so far to announce he is standing to replace Starmer as prime minister.

The general secretary is responsible for operational management, including running election campaigns and managing paid staff.