He was the Labour candidate for
Cheltenham at the
2005 general election, but lost. However, at the
2010 general election he was elected MP for the safe Labour seat of
Islwyn. His maiden speech focused on affordable lending and pay day loans. Since being elected he has campaigned against fuel poverty and in January 2011 led a Westminster Hall debate and spoke out against energy price rises. He is also a campaigner for the introduction of a Presumption of Death Act. He led a Westminster Hall debate on employment opportunities for people with
inflammatory bowel disease. Evans was a member of the Justice Select Committee. In July 2012, after two years as an MP, he was promoted to the Shadow
Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as
Parliamentary Private Secretary to shadow Secretary of State
Mary Creagh Following a reshuffle in October 2013, Evans joined Labour's Shadow Treasury Team as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Chief Secretary to the Treasury,
Chris Leslie. He supported
Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace
Jeremy Corbyn in the
2016 Labour Party (UK) leadership election. In March 2012, Evans introduced a ten-minute rule bill called 'The Banking Responsibility and Disclosure Bill' which aimed to tackle the growing problem of financial exclusion to ensure that banks are responsible for their actions. He has written several articles on this topic. On 19 January 2012, Evans said that he had been attacked by a dog which left a one-inch scar on his middle finger as he called on the government to take action against irresponsible dog owners. Since then, he has been campaigning to promote responsible dog ownership. In May 2012 he held a Westminster Hall debate on dangerous dog legislation and called on the government to introduce the compulsory microchipping of all dogs, recorded by a single national database. In 2013, Evans launched a work experience program in Islwyn to help combat the problem of youth unemployment. Working alongside 200 local businesses, the scheme offers 6–8 week work placements for 18 to 24-year-olds out of work. The Islwyn Work Experience Programme is voluntary with applicants receiving additional help from Job Centre Plus to continue looking for permanent work. It was launched alongside local businesses at a media event at the Crosskeys campus of
Coleg Gwent. In September 2020, Evans was appointed a vice-chair of Labour Friends of Israel. With his constituency being abolished by the
2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, Evans successfully contested
Caerphilly at the
2024 general election.
Labour Frontbench Evans was promoted to the position of Shadow Minister for Defence Procurement in the minor May 2021 reshuffle, filling the vacant position following
Khalid Mahmood's resignation a month earlier. This role shadows the Minister for Defence Procurement at the Ministry of Defence who has responsibility for the Defence Equipment Plan, relations with the defence industry and exports, science and technology. Evans has been a member of Labour's Shadow Defence Team since 2020 when he became Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Shadow Secretary of State for Defence. In the
2023 British shadow cabinet reshuffle, he became Shadow Minister for Social Security. == Personal life ==