Sian James (politician)
Encyclopedia
Siân Catherine James is a Welsh
Labour Party
politician, who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Swansea East
since 2005
.
, Neath
.
started over twenty years ago, when as a young mother, she became involved in the 1984 Miners’ Strike. She and many other women had the opportunity for the first time to be much more active within communities. It was clear to them, that they were fighting not only to secure their husband’s, brother’s and son’s employment, but to safeguard South Wales
communities and the way of life.
for three years pursuing a degree in the Welsh Language
Department. She was heavily involved with the students’ union and an enthusiastic member of the women’s group.
After graduation, she entered the work force and through a series of jobs / roles and worked her way up the management ladder. Her career has involved working for some of the most well-known organisations in Wales, culminating with her final role as Director of Welsh Women’s Aid.
James was Parliamentary Private Secretary
both to Gareth Thomas
, the Minister of State for Trade
, and to Paul Murphy, the Welsh secretary
until resigning in March 2009. She cited overwork as the cause of her resignation but it also allowed her to sign the early day motion
opposing the part privatisation
of the Royal Mail
.
candidate in Swansea East.
She was elected in May 2005, the first woman to represent Swansea East and one of only eight women MPs from Wales. She has a majority of 11,249 votes.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
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 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 Swansea East
Swansea East (UK Parliament constituency)
Swansea East is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Boundaries :The constituency comprises the electoral wards of Bonymaen, Cwmbwrla, Landore, Llansamlet, Morriston, Mynydd-Bach, Penderry, and St.Thomas...
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
She spent most of her childhood in the Swansea Valley, where her parents ran a public house. She attended Cefn Saeson Comprehensive School on Afan Valley Road in CimlaCimla
Cimla is a suburb of the town of Neath in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It is set high up on a hill. It is pronounced Kim-la. The Welsh language spelling is Cymla, pronounced the same way....
, Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
.
1984 Miners' Strike
Her journey to WestminsterPalace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
started over twenty years ago, when as a young mother, she became involved in the 1984 Miners’ Strike. She and many other women had the opportunity for the first time to be much more active within communities. It was clear to them, that they were fighting not only to secure their husband’s, brother’s and son’s employment, but to safeguard South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
communities and the way of life.
Early Political Career
Speaking in public, media interviews and debating with politicians became the norm, for a complete year. When the strike ended she did not wish to return to an ordinary housewife. Her confidence had soared during the strike and she discovered that ideas and opinions of women were just as valid as any other.Education and Career
As a full-time mature student, she attended Swansea UniversitySwansea University
Swansea University is a university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea University was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it changed its name to the University of Wales Swansea following structural changes...
for three years pursuing a degree in the Welsh Language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
Department. She was heavily involved with the students’ union and an enthusiastic member of the women’s group.
After graduation, she entered the work force and through a series of jobs / roles and worked her way up the management ladder. Her career has involved working for some of the most well-known organisations in Wales, culminating with her final role as Director of Welsh Women’s Aid.
James was 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...
both to Gareth Thomas
Gareth Thomas (English politician)
Gareth Richard Thomas is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Harrow West since 1997...
, the Minister of State for Trade
Minister of State for Trade
The Minister of State for Trade is an executive position in the Government of the United Kingdom, in both the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills...
, and to Paul Murphy, the Welsh secretary
Secretary of State for Wales
The Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
until resigning in March 2009. She cited overwork as the cause of her resignation but it also allowed her to sign the early day motion
Early day motion
An Early Day Motion , in the Westminster system, is a motion, expressed as a single sentence, tabled by Members of Parliament for debate "on an early day" . Controversial EDMs are not signed by Government Ministers, PPS or the Speaker of the House of Commons and very few are debated on the floor...
opposing the part 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 the Royal Mail
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
.
2005 General Election
In 2004 she resigned from the role in Welsh Women's Aid to stand as 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...
candidate in Swansea East.
She was elected in May 2005, the first woman to represent Swansea East and one of only eight women MPs from Wales. She has a majority of 11,249 votes.
External links
- Siân James MP official constituency website
- Sian James MP Welsh Labour Party profile
- Meet the MP: Sian James, BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 4 August 2005