Janet Dean
Encyclopedia
Janet Elizabeth Ann Dean (born 28 January 1949) is a British
Labour Party
politician who was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Burton
from 1997
to 2010.
Born Janet Gibson in Crewe
, she was educated at the Verdin Grammar School in Winsford
. On leaving school in 1965 she became a clerk at Barclays Bank, before moving to Bass Charrington
in 1969. She married Alan Dean in 1968 and became a full-time mother in 1970 following the birth of the first of their two daughters. She was widowed in 1994.
Town Council in 1995. She stepped down from all three councils on her election to Westminster
.
Dean was selected to stand for election for Labour through an all-women shortlist
. This method of selection was subsequently declared illegal in January 1996 as it breached sex discrimination laws. Despite the ruling she remained in place as the candidate for the following year's election.
She was elected to the House of Commons in the 1997 General Election
, winning Burton from the sitting Conservative
MP, Ivan Lawrence
, by 6,330 votes. She made her maiden speech on 30 July 1997.http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo970730/debtext/70730-02.htm#70730-02_spnew0 In parliament she was a member of the Catering Select Committee from her election until 2005. She was a member of the Home Affairs
Select Committee from 1999, and since the 2005 General Election
she has also been a member of the Speaker's
Panel of Chairmen.
She is a loyal backbencher
although rebelling against the privatisation
of air traffic control in 2000, a local issue given the proximity of her constituency to the East Midlands Airport. She is the chairperson of the All-Party Parliamentary Group
for Lupus
– an issue close to her heart, as both her mother and husband died from it.
On 20 June 2007, Dean announced her intention to stand down at the next general election.
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 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 Burton
Burton (UK Parliament constituency)
Burton 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.-Boundaries:...
from 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...
to 2010.
Born Janet Gibson in Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
, she was educated at the Verdin Grammar School in Winsford
Winsford
Winsford is a town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies on the River Weaver south of Northwich and west of Middlewich, and grew around the salt mining industry after the river was canalised in the...
. On leaving school in 1965 she became a clerk at Barclays Bank, before moving to Bass Charrington
Bass (beer)
The Bass Brewery was founded as a brewery in 1777 by William Bass in Burton upon Trent, England. The main brand was Bass Pale Ale, which was once the highest selling beer in the UK...
in 1969. She married Alan Dean in 1968 and became a full-time mother in 1970 following the birth of the first of their two daughters. She was widowed in 1994.
Politics
She was elected as a councillor to the Staffordshire County Council in 1981 and to the East Staffordshire District Council in 1991, becoming its mayor in 1996. She was also elected to the UttoxeterUttoxeter
Uttoxeter is a historic market town in Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. The current population is approximately 13,711, though new developments in the town will increase this figure. Uttoxeter lies close to the River Dove and is near the cities of Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and...
Town Council in 1995. She stepped down from all three councils on her election to Westminster
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
.
Dean was selected to stand for election for Labour through an all-women shortlist
All-women shortlists
The use of all-women shortlists is the political practice intended to increase the proportion of female Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom by allowing only women to stand in particular constituencies for a particular political party. Though the practice is available to all parties, only...
. This method of selection was subsequently declared illegal in January 1996 as it breached sex discrimination laws. Despite the ruling she remained in place as the candidate for the following year's election.
She was elected to the House of Commons in 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...
, winning Burton from 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, Ivan Lawrence
Ivan Lawrence
Sir Ivan John Lawrence, QC, is a distinguished criminal barrister and was a British Conservative politician.-Early life:...
, by 6,330 votes. She made her maiden speech on 30 July 1997.http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo970730/debtext/70730-02.htm#70730-02_spnew0 In parliament she was a member of the Catering Select Committee from her election until 2005. She was a member of the Home Affairs
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
Select Committee from 1999, and since the 2005 General Election
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....
she has also been a member of the Speaker's
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
Panel of Chairmen.
She is a loyal backbencher
Backbencher
In Westminster parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a Member of Parliament or a legislator who does not hold governmental office and is not a Front Bench spokesperson in the Opposition...
although rebelling against the privatisation
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
of air traffic control in 2000, a local issue given the proximity of her constituency to the East Midlands Airport. She is the chairperson of the All-Party Parliamentary Group
All-Party Parliamentary Group
An all-party parliamentary group is a grouping in the UK parliament that is composed of politicians from all political parties.-All-party parliamentary groups:...
for Lupus
Lupus erythematosus
Lupus erythematosus is a category for a collection of diseases with similar underlying problems with immunity . Symptoms of these diseases can affect many different body systems, including joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, heart, and lungs...
– an issue close to her heart, as both her mother and husband died from it.
On 20 June 2007, Dean announced her intention to stand down at the next general election.