David Anderson (UK politician)
Encyclopedia
David Anderson is a British
Labour Party
politician
, who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Blaydon since 2005
.
Road in Maltby
, and Durham
Technical College (became New College Durham
in 1977), the Doncaster
Technical College (became Doncaster College
) and Durham University
. He worked as a miner
from 1969 until 1989 at Eppleton Colliery near Hetton-le-Hole
, then as a care worker until he entered Parliament. During his time as a care worker he was also an activist in the public sector union
UNISON
and served as its President for 2003-4.
, after the sitting Labour MP for Blaydon John David McWilliam stood down.
In Parliament, Anderson has been a member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
since 2005, having long been interested in the peace process in Northern Ireland
, and was also a member of the House of Commons Procedure Committee
for a year. In 2006 he was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary
to the Education and Skills Minister Bill Rammell
.
Anderson chairs the Labour Friends of Iraq group, a body dedicated to supporting ordinary Iraqis as they attempt to rebuild their lives. In a 2008 interview with SOMA Digest
Anderson urged the implementation of article 140 of the Iraqi constitution regarding the normalization process of Kirkuk
and other formerly Arabised towns. He also called for solving the Kurdish issue
in Turkey in a democratic way.
Anderson was nominated as the Parliamentary Champion for Education and Sport by the anti-racist group Show Racism The Red Card
. He has been active in the campaign to overturn a House of Lords
ruling that would have had a devastating impact on people suffering from asbestosis
, pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma
, all crippling diseases caused by exposure to asbestos
.
Despite Labour losing the 2010 UK General Election, Anderson almost doubled his majority in the Blaydon constituency from 5,335 in 2005 to 9,117 on a turnout of 44,913 (66.2%).
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...
, who has been 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 Blaydon since 2005
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....
.
Early life
Born in Sunderland, Anderson was educated at the Maltby Grammar School (became Maltby Comprehensive School in 1967) on BawtryBawtry
Bawtry is a small market town and civil parish which lies at the point where the Great North Road crosses the River Idle in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. Nearby towns include Gainsborough to the east, Retford south southeast, Worksop to the southwest and...
Road in Maltby
Maltby, South Yorkshire
Maltby is a town and civil parish of 17,247 inhabitants in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, situated in a rural area about 7 miles east of Rotherham and 12 miles north-east of Sheffield...
, and Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
Technical College (became New College Durham
New College Durham
.New College Durham is a college of further and higher education in County Durham, England . It was founded in 1977 as a result of a merger between Neville's Cross College of Education and Durham Technical College. The college operated on two main sites near the city of Durham: Neville's Cross and...
in 1977), the Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
Technical College (became Doncaster College
Doncaster College
Doncaster College is a further and higher education college in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. It comprises two campuses, which are known as "The Hub" and the "University Centre".-Staff and students:...
) and Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
. He worked as a miner
Miner
A miner is a person whose work or business is to extract ore or minerals from the earth. Mining is one of the most dangerous trades in the world. In some countries miners lack social guarantees and in case of injury may be left to cope without assistance....
from 1969 until 1989 at Eppleton Colliery near Hetton-le-Hole
Hetton-le-Hole
Hetton-le-Hole is a town and civil parish situated in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the A182 between Houghton-le-Spring and Easington Lane. It is located on the southwest corner of Sunderland on the A182, off A690 close to the A1. It has a population of 14,402 but this...
, then as a care worker until he entered Parliament. During his time as a care worker he was also an activist in the public sector 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...
UNISON
UNISON
UNISON is the largest trade union in the United Kingdom with over 1.3 million members.The union was formed in 1993 when three public sector trade unions, the National and Local Government Officers Association , the National Union of Public Employees and the Confederation of Health Service...
and served as its President for 2003-4.
Parliamentary career
Anderson was first elected at 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....
, after the sitting Labour MP for Blaydon John David McWilliam stood down.
In Parliament, Anderson has been a member of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
The Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
since 2005, having long been interested in the peace process in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, and was also a member of the House of Commons Procedure Committee
Procedure Committee
The Procedure Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to consider the practice and procedure of the House in the conduct of public business.-Membership:...
for a year. In 2006 he was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary
Parliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to the Education and Skills Minister Bill Rammell
Bill Rammell
William Ernest Rammell is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Harlow from 1997 to 2010, and has served as the Minister of State for the Armed Forces at the Ministry of Defence...
.
Anderson chairs the Labour Friends of Iraq group, a body dedicated to supporting ordinary Iraqis as they attempt to rebuild their lives. In a 2008 interview with SOMA Digest
SOMA Digest
SOMA Digest is an English written newspaper in the Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Its printing offices are located in Baghdad and its press office in Sulaimaniya. The paper was launched on February 14th, 2006. It is issued on a fortnight basis and distributed across the whole of Iraq, reporting on Kurdish...
Anderson urged the implementation of article 140 of the Iraqi constitution regarding the normalization process of Kirkuk
Kirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
and other formerly Arabised towns. He also called for solving the Kurdish issue
Kurds in Turkey
Ethnic Kurds compose a significant portion of the population in Turkey . Unlike the Turks, the Kurds speak an Indo-European language...
in Turkey in a democratic way.
Anderson was nominated as the Parliamentary Champion for Education and Sport by the anti-racist group Show Racism The Red Card
Show Racism The Red Card
Show Racism the Red Card is an anti-racism education charity, established in England in January 1996 to harness the high profile nature of footballers as anti-racist role models to educate against racism throughout society in the United Kingdom....
. He has been active in the campaign to overturn a House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
ruling that would have had a devastating impact on people suffering from asbestosis
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory and fibrotic medical condition affecting the parenchymal tissue of the lungs caused by the inhalation and retention of asbestos fibers...
, pleural mesothelioma and peritoneal mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesothelioma is the name given to the cancer that attacks the lining of the abdomen. This type of cancer affects the lining that protects the contents of the abdomen and which also provides a lubricating fluid to enable the organs to move and work properly.The peritoneum is made of two...
, all crippling diseases caused by exposure to asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
.
Despite Labour losing the 2010 UK General Election, Anderson almost doubled his majority in the Blaydon constituency from 5,335 in 2005 to 9,117 on a turnout of 44,913 (66.2%).
External links
- Dave Anderson MP official constituency website
- David Anderson Profile at New StatesmanNew StatesmanNew Statesman is a British centre-left political and cultural magazine published weekly in London. Founded in 1913, and connected with leading members of the Fabian Society, the magazine reached a circulation peak in the late 1960s....
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