Alan Milburn
Encyclopedia
Alan Milburn is a British
Labour Party
politician
, who was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Darlington
from 1992
until 2010. He served for five years in the Cabinet, firstly as Chief Secretary to the Treasury
from 1998 to 1999, and subsequently as Secretary of State for Health
until 2003, when he resigned, citing a lack of balance with his family life, before briefly rejoining it as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
in order to manage Labour's 2005 re-election campaign
. In June 2009, he told his local party he would not be standing at the 2010 general election, saying "Standing down as an MP will give me the chance to balance my work and my family life with the time to pursue challenges other than politics."
in County Durham
, England and grew up in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
He was educated at John Marley School, Newcastle and Stokesley Comprehensive School. He went on to Lancaster University
. After leaving university, he returned to Newcastle where, with Martin Spence, he operated a small radical bookshop in the Westgate Road, called Days of Hope (the shop was given the spoonerised
nickname Haze of Dope). From there he worked as a co-ordinator at the Trade Union Studies Information Unit. During this period, he married future Labour MEP Mo O'Toole
, but the couple split up in the late 1980s.
Alan Milburn was Co-ordinator of the Trade Union Studies Information Unit (TUSIU) from the mid-1980's onwards.
From 1988, Milburn co-ordinated a campaign to defend shipbuilding in Sunderland, and was elected as Chairman of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central Constituency Labour Party. In 1990 he was appointed as a Business Development Officer for North Tyneside
Borough Council and elected as President of the North East Region of the Manufacturing Science and Finance (MSF) Trade Union
. Meanwhile, he won the seat of Darlington in the 1992 general election.
He is a supporter of Newcastle United Football Club
.
modernisers in the Labour Party, becoming close to Tony Blair
who sat for the next-door constituency of Sedgefield
. This led to his appointment as Minister of State at the Department of Health when Labour came into government in 1997, an important post in which he had responsibility for driving through Private Finance Initiative
deals on hospitals. In the reshuffle caused by Peter Mandelson
's resignation on 23 December 1998, Milburn was promoted to the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury
.
in October 1999, with responsibility for continuing the reduction in waiting times and delivering modernisation in the National Health Service
(NHS). The government increased expenditure on the NHS, although the public was sceptical over claims of improved performance. Milburn was thought to be a candidate for promotion within the Government, but on the day of a reshuffle (12 June 2003) he announced his resignation. He cited the difficulties combining family life in North-East England with a demanding job in London as his reason for quitting.
, but the unsuccessful start to the campaign led to Alan Milburn taking a back seat, with Gordon Brown
returning to take a very prominent role. On election night he announced he would be leaving the Cabinet for a second time, although rumours persisted that he would challenge Brown for the succession. On 10 April 2006, The Sun
newspaper reported that Alan Milburn was still unsure whether to enter the leadership election when Tony Blair left office, which eventually occurred on 27 June the following year, with Brown subsequently assuming the prime ministerial role unopposed. He is the honorary president of the political organisation Progress
, which is often described as a Blairite faction of the Labour Party.
, a venture capital firm heavily involved in financing private health care firms moving into the NHS, including Alliance Medical, Match Group, Medica and the Robinia Care Group.
He has been Member of Advisory Board of PepsiCo
since April 2007.
coalition as 'social mobility tsar'. Although not officially politically-affiliated, the role would involve advising the government on how to break down social barriers for people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and help people who feel they are barred from top jobs on grounds of race, religion, gender or disability.
suggested Milburn as leader in place of Gordon Brown.
On 28 February 2007, he and Charles Clarke
launched The 2020 Vision, a website intended to promote policy debate in the Labour Party.
In 2007 Alan Milburn worked as an advisor to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
and again in 2010 acted as an advisor to the election campaign of Julia Gillard
.
Alan Milburn now also holds a place on the board of PepsiCo
as an advisor.
He was asked by Andrew Lansley
to chair the GPs commissioning board, but he refused condemning his reforms as privatization.
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British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who was the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Darlington
Darlington (UK Parliament constituency)
Darlington is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
from 1992
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
until 2010. He served for five years in the Cabinet, firstly as Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the third most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer . In recent years, the office holder has usually been given a junior position in the British Cabinet...
from 1998 to 1999, and subsequently as Secretary of State for Health
Secretary of State for Health
Secretary of State for Health is a UK cabinet position responsible for the Department of Health.The first Boards of Health were created by Orders in Council dated 21 June, 14 November, and 21 November 1831. In 1848 a General Board of Health was created with the First Commissioner of Woods and...
until 2003, when he resigned, citing a lack of balance with his family life, before briefly rejoining it as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is, in modern times, a ministerial office in the government of the United Kingdom that includes as part of its duties, the administration of the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster...
in order to manage Labour's 2005 re-election campaign
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
. In June 2009, he told his local party he would not be standing at the 2010 general election, saying "Standing down as an MP will give me the chance to balance my work and my family life with the time to pursue challenges other than politics."
Early life
Milburn was born in the village of Tow LawTow Law
Tow Law is a town and civil parish in County Durham, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,952. It is situated a few miles to the south of Consett. Tow Law Town football team are based in the town. The town constituted an urban district from 1894 until 1974...
in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, England and grew up in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
He was educated at John Marley School, Newcastle and Stokesley Comprehensive School. He went on to Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Lancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
. After leaving university, he returned to Newcastle where, with Martin Spence, he operated a small radical bookshop in the Westgate Road, called Days of Hope (the shop was given the spoonerised
Spoonerism
A spoonerism is an error in speech or deliberate play on words in which corresponding consonants, vowels, or morphemes are switched . It is named after the Reverend William Archibald Spooner , Warden of New College, Oxford, who was notoriously prone to this tendency...
nickname Haze of Dope). From there he worked as a co-ordinator at the Trade Union Studies Information Unit. During this period, he married future Labour MEP Mo O'Toole
Mo O'Toole
Barbara Maria O'Toole, known as Mo O'Toole is a former politician in the United Kingdom.O'Toole attended Sacred Heart Convent School in Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne, then studied at Northumbria University. Soon afterwards, she married future Labour Party MP Alan Milburn, although the couple split...
, but the couple split up in the late 1980s.
Alan Milburn was Co-ordinator of the Trade Union Studies Information Unit (TUSIU) from the mid-1980's onwards.
From 1988, Milburn co-ordinated a campaign to defend shipbuilding in Sunderland, and was elected as Chairman of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central Constituency Labour Party. In 1990 he was appointed as a Business Development Officer for North Tyneside
North Tyneside
The Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England and is part of the Tyneside conurbation. Its seat is Wallsend Town Hall....
Borough Council and elected as President of the North East Region of the Manufacturing Science and Finance (MSF) Trade Union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
. Meanwhile, he won the seat of Darlington in the 1992 general election.
He is a supporter of Newcastle United Football Club
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
.
Member of Parliament
In Parliament, Milburn allied himself with the BlairiteBlairite
In British politics, the term Blairism refers to the political ideology of former leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister Tony Blair, who left both positions in 2007 to become Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East...
modernisers in the Labour Party, becoming close to Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
who sat for the next-door constituency of Sedgefield
Sedgefield (UK Parliament constituency)
Sedgefield is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
. This led to his appointment as Minister of State at the Department of Health when Labour came into government in 1997, an important post in which he had responsibility for driving through Private Finance Initiative
Private Finance Initiative
The private finance initiative is a way of creating "public–private partnerships" by funding public infrastructure projects with private capital...
deals on hospitals. In the reshuffle caused by Peter Mandelson
Peter Mandelson
Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson, PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, served in a number of Cabinet positions under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and was a European Commissioner...
's resignation on 23 December 1998, Milburn was promoted to the Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the third most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer . In recent years, the office holder has usually been given a junior position in the British Cabinet...
.
In government
He became Secretary of State for HealthSecretary of State for Health
Secretary of State for Health is a UK cabinet position responsible for the Department of Health.The first Boards of Health were created by Orders in Council dated 21 June, 14 November, and 21 November 1831. In 1848 a General Board of Health was created with the First Commissioner of Woods and...
in October 1999, with responsibility for continuing the reduction in waiting times and delivering modernisation in the National Health Service
National Health Service (England)
The National Health Service or NHS is the publicly funded healthcare system in England. It is both the largest and oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is able to function in the way that it does because it is primarily funded through the general taxation system, similar to how...
(NHS). The government increased expenditure on the NHS, although the public was sceptical over claims of improved performance. Milburn was thought to be a candidate for promotion within the Government, but on the day of a reshuffle (12 June 2003) he announced his resignation. He cited the difficulties combining family life in North-East England with a demanding job in London as his reason for quitting.
Backbenches
While on the backbenches he continued to be a strong supporter of Tony Blair's policies, especially his continued policy of increased private involvement in public service provision. He returned to government in September 2004, with the title of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. He was brought back to lead the Labour Party's campaign in the 2005 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
, but the unsuccessful start to the campaign led to Alan Milburn taking a back seat, with Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
returning to take a very prominent role. On election night he announced he would be leaving the Cabinet for a second time, although rumours persisted that he would challenge Brown for the succession. On 10 April 2006, The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
newspaper reported that Alan Milburn was still unsure whether to enter the leadership election when Tony Blair left office, which eventually occurred on 27 June the following year, with Brown subsequently assuming the prime ministerial role unopposed. He is the honorary president of the political organisation Progress
Progress (organisation)
Progress is a political organisation linked to the Labour Party in the United Kingdom, founded in 1996. It is broadly viewed as supportive of the leadership of the party, being pro-former leader Tony Blair...
, which is often described as a Blairite faction of the Labour Party.
Post government
Following his resignation as Secretary of State for Health (to spend more time with his family), Milburn took a post for £30,000 a year as an advisor to Bridgepoint CapitalBridgepoint Capital
Bridgepoint is a UK-based private equity investor in companies valued up to €1 billion, including Pets at Home and Pret A Manger in the UK, Dorna in Spain, and Alain Afflelou in France.-History:...
, a venture capital firm heavily involved in financing private health care firms moving into the NHS, including Alliance Medical, Match Group, Medica and the Robinia Care Group.
He has been Member of Advisory Board of PepsiCo
PepsiCo
PepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
since April 2007.
Return to government?
Despite the change of government following the May 2010 General Election. it was reported in August 2010 that Milburn had been offered a role in the Conservative-Liberal DemocratPremiership of David Cameron
The premiership of David Cameron began on 11 May 2010 when Cameron accepted the Queen's invitation to form a government. This occurred upon the resignation of Cameron's predecessor as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown...
coalition as 'social mobility tsar'. Although not officially politically-affiliated, the role would involve advising the government on how to break down social barriers for people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and help people who feel they are barred from top jobs on grounds of race, religion, gender or disability.
Possible leadership contender
On 8 September 2006, after Tony Blair had announced his intention to step down within a year, Charles ClarkeCharles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...
suggested Milburn as leader in place of Gordon Brown.
On 28 February 2007, he and Charles Clarke
Charles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Norwich South from 1997 until 2010, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...
launched The 2020 Vision, a website intended to promote policy debate in the Labour Party.
In 2007 Alan Milburn worked as an advisor to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
and again in 2010 acted as an advisor to the election campaign of Julia Gillard
Julia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
.
Alan Milburn now also holds a place on the board of PepsiCo
PepsiCo
PepsiCo Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Purchase, New York, United States, with interests in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. PepsiCo was formed in 1965 with the merger of the Pepsi-Cola Company...
as an advisor.
Chair of social mobility commission
Between January and July 2009, Alan Milburn chaired a governmental commission on social mobility, the Panel on Fair Access to the Professions. The Panel reported in July 2009 with recommendations to improve social mobility by acting at every life stage - including through schools, universities, internship practices and recruitment processes.He was asked by Andrew Lansley
Andrew Lansley
Andrew David Lansley, CBE, MP is the UK Secretary of State for Health, who has been the Conservative Member of Parliament for South Cambridgeshire since the 1997 general election, and was Shadow Secretary of State for Health from June 2004 until becoming Secretary of State for Health in May 2010...
to chair the GPs commissioning board, but he refused condemning his reforms as privatization.
External links
- Alan Milburn (Archive of official site at Wayback Machine)
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Alan Milburn MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Alan Milburn MP
- Alan Milburn on BBC One's This Week
- Alan Milburn gives his career story on the non-profit website icould.
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