James Jones KBE

Biography: James Jones served first as Bishop of Hull and then for 15 years as Bishop of Liverpool. He was deeply involved in the urban regeneration of both northern cities. In preparation for Liverpool becoming European Capital of Culture in 2008 he chaired the ‘Stop the Rot Forum’ sponsored by the Liverpool Echo that brought together property developers, planners, community organisations to restore the city’s heritage buildings. He also chaired the New Deal for Communities programme that pioneered community led regeneration which had at its heart the education and employment of disadvantaged young people in areas blighted by low self esteem and low aspiration. He was also the Bishop to Prisons constantly questioning whether prisons should be warehouses for the incorrigible or green houses for the redeemable. He served in the House of Lords for ten years. He chaired the Hillsborough Independent Panel investigating the deaths of 97 Liverpool Football fans. His Report led to the quashing of the first Inquest’s finding of ‘Accidental Death’ and to the second Inquest’s determination of ‘Unlawful Killing’. When the Government threatened to sell off the National Forests he chaired the Independent Panel on Forestry that led to the Government’s commitment to hold the Forests in trust for the nation. His advocacy has included engaging with the victims of the Gosport War Memorial Hospital, the Infected Blood Community and the bereaved and survivors of the Grenfell Tower Tragedy. His books include ‘Justice for Christ’s Sake’ and ‘Jesus and the Earth’. He is a regular broadcaster on the BBC including ‘Thought for the Day’ on the Today Programme, 2 Series on Radio 4 ‘The Bishop and the Prisoner’ and ‘The Bishop and the Bankers’. His latest programme on the life and faith of Kenneth Williams is on BBC Sounds ‘Said the Actor to the Bishop’. He is married to Sarah. They have three daughters Harriet, Jemima and Tabitha and two grandchildren Ben and Sophie.