David Crausby
Encyclopedia
David Anthony Crausby is a British
Labour Party
politician
who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Bolton North East since 1997
.
and was educated locally at the Derby Grammar School (now Derby High School) on Radcliffe Road in the town and at Bury Technical College
on Market Street. He began a career as a turner, becoming an apprentice centre lathe turner in 1962, leaving the profession in 1978 to take up the position of convenor at the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union
, in which position he remained until his election to the House of Commons
. He was elected a councillor in 1979 to the then Bury District Council
, and served until 1992.
, having been just elected as Chairman of the local constituency Labour Party, at the 1987 General Election
but was defeated by the sitting Conservative
MP Alistair Burt
by 6,911 votes. He contested the Conservative-held marginal seat of Bolton North East at the 1992 General Election
where the sitting MP Peter Thurnham
was defending an 813 majority. The election in Bolton North East proved another tight tussle and Crausby failed to dislodge Thurnham by just 185. Thurnham retired at the 1997 General Election
, having crossed the floor
to join the Liberal Democrats on 12 October 1996. Crausby had no problem defeating the new Conservative candidate, Rob Wilson
, by 12,669, and he has remained the MP there since, though his majority fell to 8,422 in 2001 and 4,103 in 2005. In the 2010 general election with a turnout of 64.97% he increased his share of the vote and gained 19,870 votes being 45.9% of votes cast in comparison to 16,874 votes being 45.7% of votes cast in 2005. He made his maiden speech
on 17 July 1997, in which he remembered the inventor of the spinning mule
Samuel Crompton
who was born in Bolton
.http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo970717/debtext/70717-18.htm#70717-18_spnew10
In parliament, David Crausby joined the Social Security
Select Committee in 1999, and has been a member of the Defence
Select Committee since the 2001 General Election
. He voted against the Iraq War in 2003.
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 Bolton North East since 1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
.
Professional career
David Crausby was born in BuryBury
Bury is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the River Irwell, east of Bolton, west-southwest of Rochdale, and north-northwest of the city of Manchester...
and was educated locally at the Derby Grammar School (now Derby High School) on Radcliffe Road in the town and at Bury Technical College
Bury College
Bury College is an institute of higher learning for the borough of Bury, England.-Age range:Bury College is a sixth form college catering for school leavers pursuing A Levels, vocational qualifications or apprenticeships. The college has approximately 8,000 adult learners and focuses on...
on Market Street. He began a career as a turner, becoming an apprentice centre lathe turner in 1962, leaving the profession in 1978 to take up the position of convenor at the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union
Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union
The Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union was a British trade union. It merged with the MSF to form Amicus in 2001.The history of the union can be traced back to the formation of the "Old Mechanics" of 1826, which grew into the Amalgamated Society of Engineers in 1851...
, in which position he remained until his election to the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. He was elected a councillor in 1979 to the then Bury District Council
Metropolitan Borough of Bury
The Metropolitan Borough of Bury is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, in North West England. Lying to the north of the City of Manchester, the borough is composed of six towns: Bury, Ramsbottom, Tottington, Radcliffe, Whitefield and Prestwich, and has a population of 181,900...
, and served until 1992.
Political career
He contested Bury NorthBury North (UK Parliament constituency)
Bury North is a borough constituency in Greater Manchester, 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...
, having been just elected as Chairman of the local constituency Labour Party, at the 1987 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
but was defeated by the sitting Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP Alistair Burt
Alistair Burt
Alistair James Hendrie Burt is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for North East Bedfordshire...
by 6,911 votes. He contested the Conservative-held marginal seat of Bolton North East at the 1992 General Election
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...
where the sitting MP Peter Thurnham
Peter Thurnham
Peter Giles Thurnham was a British politician. He was Member of Parliament for Bolton North East from 1983 to 1997, originally as a Conservative before resigning to become an independent in February 1996 and then a Liberal Democrat in October 1996.-Biography:Thurnham was born in Staines, Middlesex...
was defending an 813 majority. The election in Bolton North East proved another tight tussle and Crausby failed to dislodge Thurnham by just 185. Thurnham retired at the 1997 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, having crossed the floor
Crossing the floor
In politics, crossing the floor has two meanings referring to a change of allegiance in a Westminster system parliament.The term originates from the British House of Commons, which is configured with the Government and Opposition facing each other on rows of benches...
to join the Liberal Democrats on 12 October 1996. Crausby had no problem defeating the new Conservative candidate, Rob Wilson
Rob Wilson
Robert Owen Biggs Wilson is a United Kingdom politician and entrepreneur. He was elected Conservative Member of Parliament for the Reading East parliamentary constituency in the 2005 general election.-Early life:...
, by 12,669, and he has remained the MP there since, though his majority fell to 8,422 in 2001 and 4,103 in 2005. In the 2010 general election with a turnout of 64.97% he increased his share of the vote and gained 19,870 votes being 45.9% of votes cast in comparison to 16,874 votes being 45.7% of votes cast in 2005. He made his maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
on 17 July 1997, in which he remembered the inventor of the spinning mule
Spinning mule
The spinning mule was a machine used to spin cotton and other fibres in the mills of Lancashire and elsewhere from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century. Mules were worked in pairs by a minder, with the help of two boys: the little piecer and the big or side piecer...
Samuel Crompton
Samuel Crompton
Samuel Crompton was an English inventor and pioneer of the spinning industry.- Early life :Samuel Crompton was born at 10 Firwood Fold, Bolton, Lancashire to George and Betty Crompton . Samuel had two younger sisters...
who was born in Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
.http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo970717/debtext/70717-18.htm#70717-18_spnew10
In parliament, David Crausby joined the Social Security
Department of Social Security
The Department of Social Security is the name of a defunct governmental agency in the United Kingdom.The DSS replaced the older Department of Health and Social Security, from 1988 until 2001, when it was itself largely replaced as a department of the Government of the United Kingdom by the...
Select Committee in 1999, and has been a member of the Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
Select Committee since the 2001 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
. He voted against the Iraq War in 2003.
Personal life
He married Enid Anne Noon in 1965 in Bury and they have two sons. His eldest son, also named David, is a commercial and editorial photographer, his work is represented by several agencies including Getty Images and Alamy. His son is currently based in Germany.External links
- David Crausby MP's website
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: David Crausby MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - David Crausby MP
- The Public Whip - David Crausby MP voting record
- Official YouTube channel