Osborne worked for
Royal Mail for 25 years. Her first foray into politics came in 2009, when she contested a
by-election for Preston ward on
North Tyneside Council, losing to
Conservative David Sarin. The following year, Osborne was elected to represent the ward at the
2010 local elections, gaining the seat from the Conservative incumbent. She was re-elected to represent Preston in
2014, and again in
2018. Osborne did not stand at the
2022 North Tyneside elections. She was elected to the
House of Commons at the
2019 general election, representing
Jarrow, a
safe seat for Labour. She succeeded the party's former MP
Stephen Hepburn, who had been prevented from standing again over allegations of misconduct. Osborne is a member of Labour's left-wing
Socialist Campaign Group. Osborne was appointed
Parliamentary private secretary (PPS) to the Shadow Home Affairs team, led by
Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, in January 2020. She served until the front bench reshuffle following
Keir Starmer's election as
Labour Leader in April 2020. Osborne returned as a PPS in December 2021, this time to the Shadow Northern Ireland team led by
Shadow Secretary of State Peter Kyle. In 2021, she was selected for the
Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, assigned to the
Royal Air Force. During the
June 2022 rail strikes, Osborne joined a picket line with railway workers, reportedly going against orders from her party not to do so. Commenting, she said, "Solidarity to workers on strike today, they have my full support." In December 2023, Osborne came under scrutiny for accusing Conservative MP
Kemi Badenoch of likening trans children to "the spread of a disease" during a parliamentary meeting. When asked by Badenoch, Osborne failed to identify when Badenoch said this. Osborne was later accused of making up quotes that didn't exist. == Personal life ==