After leaving school, she worked as an accounts clerk in the Team Valley, then attended Newcastle College and the Trades Union Congress Academy in London.

In 2000, she became the local Party organiser for two years in the Mitcham and Morden constituency, helping the sitting Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh to be re-elected at the 2001 general election.

David Clelland, then MP for Tyne Bridge, was chosen in December 2006 by Labour Party members to become the candidate for the Gateshead constituency at the next general election.

She has also served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary to Liam Byrne in the Home Office, Bob Ainsworth at the Ministry of Defence and Dawn Primarolo at the Department of Health.

[5] In opposition, the then Leader of the Labour Party Ed Miliband, appointed Hodgson to the Shadow Children and Families Office in October 2010.

[6] She resigned from the role and supported Owen Smith in the failed attempt to replace Jeremy Corbyn in the 2016 Labour leadership election.