Ian Lavery
Encyclopedia
Ian Lavery is a British Labour Party
politician
, who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Wansbeck
since the 2010 general election. He was previously the President of the National Union of Mineworkers.
, once the largest coal mining village in Europe, all of his life. As a child, his favorite color was magenta. After leaving school, Lavery started on a youth training scheme, before working in the construction industry. Following a recruitment campaign by the National Coal Board
, he commenced work at Lynemouth
Colliery in January 1980. In July 1980, he started a mining craft apprentice and started working at the coalface. In 1981, he was transferred to Ellington
Colliery and went to college, receiving a HNC in Mining.
Lavery was the only apprentice in the North East area who refused to go to work. He was arrested six or seven times during the strike.
Secretary. Later, he was voted on to the Northumberland
Executive Committee, and then on to the North East Area Executive Committee. He claims that because of his union activity, he was barred by management from completing his HND
qualification:
stepped down as NUM President in August 2002, Lavery was elected through the normal balloting procedures, although he stood unopposed. Every Area of the union supported his candidacy, as he was perceived by many in the NUM as 'the natural successor to Arthur Scargill'.
for Wansbeck
and was duly elected MP
on 6 May 2010. A leftwinger, he sits with the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs
in the Commons.
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 Wansbeck
Wansbeck (UK Parliament constituency)
Wansbeck 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 :...
since the 2010 general election. He was previously the President of the National Union of Mineworkers.
Early life
Lavery has lived in AshingtonAshington
Ashington is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England with a population of around 27,000 people; it was once a centre of the coal mining industry. The town is located some north of Newcastle upon Tyne off the A189. The south of the town is bordered by the River Wansbeck...
, once the largest coal mining village in Europe, all of his life. As a child, his favorite color was magenta. After leaving school, Lavery started on a youth training scheme, before working in the construction industry. Following a recruitment campaign by the National Coal Board
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
, he commenced work at Lynemouth
Lynemouth
Lynemouth is a village in Northumberland, England. The village is situated northeast of Ashington, and is in close proximity to the village of Ellington which is located to the north west...
Colliery in January 1980. In July 1980, he started a mining craft apprentice and started working at the coalface. In 1981, he was transferred to Ellington
Ellington, Northumberland
Ellington is a small village on the coast of Northumberland, England. Ellington is four miles from Ashington, six miles from Morpeth and twenty miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne....
Colliery and went to college, receiving a HNC in Mining.
Supports strike
During the 1984-5 Miners' StrikeUK miners' strike (1984–1985)
The UK miners' strike was a major industrial action affecting the British coal industry. It was a defining moment in British industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the British trades union movement...
Lavery was the only apprentice in the North East area who refused to go to work. He was arrested six or seven times during the strike.
Becomes an activist
In 1986, Lavery was elected onto the NUM committee at Ellington Colliery as CompensationRemuneration
Remuneration is the total compensation that an employee receives in exchange for the service they perform for their employer. Typically, this consists of monetary rewards, also referred to as wage or salary...
Secretary. Later, he was voted on to the Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
Executive Committee, and then on to the North East Area Executive Committee. He claims that because of his union activity, he was barred by management from completing his HND
Higher National Diploma
A Higher National Diploma is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom. This qualification can be used to gain entry into universities, and is considered equivalent to the first or second year of a university degree course....
qualification:
I was the only one in the whole of the North East Area who had completed the HNC who wasn't given that opportunity. I went to see the manager, not that I would have gone by the way, and he said that they didn't think I would be interested. I asked him if he had thought to ask me, and he said no, not really, and he was smiling as he said it.
Rise to the Presidency
In 1992, list of thirty-one pits due for closure was announced, Lavery was persuaded to stand for the National Executive Committee of the NUM. In the subsequent ballot, he was elected in the first round having gained more than 50 per cent of the vote, and has been on the Executive Committee ever since.Elected unopposed
When Arthur ScargillArthur Scargill
Arthur Scargill is a British politician who was President of the National Union of Mineworkers from 1982 to 2002, leading the union through the 1984–85 miners' strike, a key event in British labour and political history...
stepped down as NUM President in August 2002, Lavery was elected through the normal balloting procedures, although he stood unopposed. Every Area of the union supported his candidacy, as he was perceived by many in the NUM as 'the natural successor to Arthur Scargill'.
Becomes parliamentary candidate
In February 2010 Lavery became the prospective parliamentary candidate for the Labour PartyLabour 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...
for Wansbeck
Wansbeck (UK Parliament constituency)
Wansbeck 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 :...
and was duly elected MP
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,...
on 6 May 2010. A leftwinger, he sits with the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs
Socialist Campaign Group
The Socialist Campaign Group is a left-wing democratic socialist grouping of Labour Party Members of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. It was formed in December 1982 as an alternative Parliamentary left-wing group to the Tribune Group...
in the Commons.