Siôn Simon
Encyclopedia
Siôn Llewelyn Simon is a British
Labour
politician
, who served as the Member of Parliament
for Birmingham Erdington from 2001
to 2010. Simon was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
for Creative Industries
. On 3 February 2010, he announced that he would be standing down at the 2010 general election in order to attempt to become the first directly elected Mayor of Birmingham
.
to Welsh-speaking
parents, Simon grew up in Birmingham
, attending Handsworth Grammar School, where he joined the Labour Party
at aged 16. Simon enrolled at Magdalen College, Oxford
in 1987, elected President of the college Junior Common Room in his second year.
MP for three years.
After a stint working for Diageo
in their Guinness
management team, he became a journalist
, working for The Daily Telegraph
, the Daily Express
and the News of the World
. He continues to be an associate editor at The Spectator
.
In the 1992 election
campaign he ran the European desk for the Labour Party
and then, during the 1997 election
campaign, the foreign press department at Labour Party Headquarters. In the 2001 General Election
he stood for and held the seat of Birmingham Erdington with a majority of 9,962. He retained the seat at the 2005 General Election
with a slightly reduced majority of 9,575. Sion has also appeared as a judge in St Edmund Campion Catholic School
Version of The X Factor
in 2007 and also appeared in Series 2 on April 25, 2008.
Shortly after Gordon Brown
became Prime Minister he became Vice-Chair of the Labour Party, with special responsibility to draft the Law and Order manifesto for the upcoming General Election.
Following the October 2008 reshuffle
, Sion Simon was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
for Further Education in the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
.
In June 2009 he was moved to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
, to become Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Creative Industries after Innovation, Universities and Skills was merged to make the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
.
In February 2010, Simon declared his intention to resign his Birmingham seat at the next election with a view to becoming the city's first elected mayor, citing the difference he perceived such positions to make to communities. Jack Dromey
replaced Simon as MP in the 2010 General Election.
co-ordinated a letter which was signed by 17 Labour backbenchers calling for Tony Blair
to resign. The MPs failed to force Blair out of office, but the Prime Minister did publicly pledge to stand down within 12 months.
On 12 October 2006 Simon created a YouTube
spoof of David Cameron
's video blog, in which, pretending to be Cameron, he offered viewers one of his children and the opportunity to sleep with his wife. This led to expressions of disgust from both parties with the stunt being called "tasteless". In an interview on Sky News
that same day, Simon described David Cameron
's attempts to reach out to the youth culture as "shallow" and "pathetic" and told his interviewer to "shut up". The video was removed on 13 October by his friend Tom Watson
MP, who he described as a "proppa blogga".
At the time of the Labour Party Conference in September 2007, Simon wrote an article for the New Statesman
in which he wrongly predicted that "Shortly there will be an election, in which Labour will increase its majority".
In the aftermath of the British Parliamentary expenses scandal of 2009, Simon announced that he would pay back approximately £21,000 out of monies that he had claimed to pay rent on a flat owned by his sister.
, a condition that leads to progressive deterioration in eyesight and in its later stage, blindness. He co-founded, and works as a trustee for, the Choroideremia Research Foundation Inc.
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
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 served as 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,...
for Birmingham Erdington from 2001
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...
to 2010. Simon was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
for Creative Industries
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport in England, and some aspects of the media throughout the whole UK, such as broadcasting and internet....
. On 3 February 2010, he announced that he would be standing down at the 2010 general election in order to attempt to become the first directly elected Mayor of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
Background
Born in CaernarfonshireCaernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire , historically spelled as Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire in English during its existence, was one of the thirteen historic counties, a vice-county and a former administrative county of Wales....
to Welsh-speaking
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...
parents, Simon grew up in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, attending Handsworth Grammar School, where he joined the 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...
at aged 16. Simon enrolled at Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
in 1987, elected President of the college Junior Common Room in his second year.
Professional career
After university, he was research assistant for George RobertsonGeorge Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen
George Islay MacNeill Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, is a British Labour Party politician who was the tenth Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, between October 1999 and early January 2004; he succeeded Javier Solana in that position...
MP for three years.
After a stint working for Diageo
Diageo
Diageo plc is a global alcoholic beverages company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest producer of spirits and a major producer of beer and wine....
in their Guinness
Guinness
Guinness is a popular Irish dry stout that originated in the brewery of Arthur Guinness at St. James's Gate, Dublin. Guinness is directly descended from the porter style that originated in London in the early 18th century and is one of the most successful beer brands worldwide, brewed in almost...
management team, he became a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, working for The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
and the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
. He continues to be an associate editor at The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
.
In the 1992 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...
campaign he ran the European desk for the 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...
and then, during the 1997 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...
campaign, the foreign press department at Labour Party Headquarters. In 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 stood for and held the seat of Birmingham Erdington with a majority of 9,962. He retained the seat at 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....
with a slightly reduced majority of 9,575. Sion has also appeared as a judge in St Edmund Campion Catholic School
St Edmund Campion Catholic School
St Edmund Campion Catholic School is a Catholic Secondary School located on the corner of Holly Lane and Sutton New Road in the Erdington area of Birmingham, England. The school also has a Sixth Form....
Version of The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
in 2007 and also appeared in Series 2 on April 25, 2008.
Shortly after Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
became Prime Minister he became Vice-Chair of the Labour Party, with special responsibility to draft the Law and Order manifesto for the upcoming General Election.
Following the October 2008 reshuffle
Brown Ministry
Gordon Brown took office as Prime Minister on 27 June 2007 and formed his Government. It ended, upon his resignation, on 11 May 2010. In his inaugural cabinet Brown appointed the UKs first female Home Secretary Jacqui Smith....
, Sion Simon was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
for Further Education in the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was a UK government department created on 28 June 2007 to take over some of the functions of the Department of Education and Skills and of the Department of Trade and Industry. In June 2009 it was merged into the newly formed Department for...
.
In June 2009 he was moved to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport in England, and some aspects of the media throughout the whole UK, such as broadcasting and internet....
, to become Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Creative Industries after Innovation, Universities and Skills was merged to make the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is a ministerial department of the United Kingdom Government created on 5 June 2009 by the merger of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .-Ministers:The BIS...
.
In February 2010, Simon declared his intention to resign his Birmingham seat at the next election with a view to becoming the city's first elected mayor, citing the difference he perceived such positions to make to communities. Jack Dromey
Jack Dromey
Jack Dromey MP is a British Labour Party politician and trade unionist, who has been the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Erdington since 2010...
replaced Simon as MP in the 2010 General Election.
Controversies
On 5 September 2006 he and Chris BryantChris Bryant
Christopher John Bryant is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Rhondda since 2001...
co-ordinated a letter which was signed by 17 Labour backbenchers calling for Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
to resign. The MPs failed to force Blair out of office, but the Prime Minister did publicly pledge to stand down within 12 months.
On 12 October 2006 Simon created a YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
spoof of David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
's video blog, in which, pretending to be Cameron, he offered viewers one of his children and the opportunity to sleep with his wife. This led to expressions of disgust from both parties with the stunt being called "tasteless". In an interview on Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
that same day, Simon described David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
's attempts to reach out to the youth culture as "shallow" and "pathetic" and told his interviewer to "shut up". The video was removed on 13 October by his friend Tom Watson
Tom Watson (politician)
Thomas Anthony Watson is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for West Bromwich East since 2001. Watson was a Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office from 2008 to 2009...
MP, who he described as a "proppa blogga".
At the time of the Labour Party Conference in September 2007, Simon wrote an article for the New Statesman
New Statesman
New 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....
in which he wrongly predicted that "Shortly there will be an election, in which Labour will increase its majority".
In the aftermath of the British Parliamentary expenses scandal of 2009, Simon announced that he would pay back approximately £21,000 out of monies that he had claimed to pay rent on a flat owned by his sister.
Personal life
Simon suffers from the rare genetic disorder choroideremiaChoroideremia
Choroideremia is an X-linked recessive retinal degenerative disease that leads to the degeneration of the choriocapillaris, the retinal pigment epithelium, and the photoreceptor of the eye....
, a condition that leads to progressive deterioration in eyesight and in its later stage, blindness. He co-founded, and works as a trustee for, the Choroideremia Research Foundation Inc.
External links
- Official Website
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Sion Simon MP
- BBC Interview with Sion Simon MP, Minister for Further Education
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Sion Simon MP