Catherine McKinnell is a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 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...

 and 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 Newcastle upon Tyne North

Newcastle upon Tyne North (UK Parliament constituency)

Newcastle upon Tyne North is a parliamentary 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.-Boundaries:...

. She stood as a candidate for the 2010 UK general election after the incumbent Labour MP, Doug Henderson

Doug Henderson

Douglas John "Doug" Henderson is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Newcastle North from 1987 until 2010.-Early life:...

, announced in 2009 that he would not stand for re-election. She was elected with 40.8% of the vote, and a majority of 3,414 over her Liberal Democrat

Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...

 rival.

McKinnell was born in Denton

Denton, Newcastle upon Tyne

Denton is an electoral ward of Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England. The ward encompasses the Chapel House and West Denton housing areas. The population of the ward is 10,857, 4.2% of the total population of Newcastle-upon-Tyne...

 and grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...

, where the attended the Sacred Heart Comprehensive School in Fenham

Fenham

Fenham is an area of the west end of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It lies to the west of the city centre, and is bounded on the north and east by a large area of open land known as the Town Moor. To the south lies Benwell, whilst West Denton lies to the west, Blakelaw and Cowgate to the north, and...

. She studied politics and history at the University of Edinburgh

University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...

, and before her election to Parliament she worked as an employment solicitor in the Newcastle law firm Dickinson Dees

Dickinson Dees

Dickinson Dees LLP is a UK top 59 law firm headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne.The practice employs around 600 staff and has 60 partners across its offices in Newcastle, Tees Valley, York and meeting rooms in London....

, becoming one of 19 solicitors newly elected to the House of Commons. In October 2010 new Labour Leader Ed Miliband

Ed Miliband

Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...

 appointed Catherine to the role of Shadow Solicitor General

Solicitor General for England and Wales

Her Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...

.

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