Barry Sheerman
Encyclopedia
Barry John Sheerman is a British
Labour Co-operative
politician
who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Huddersfield
since the 1979 general election
.
, Middlesex
and went to Hampton Grammar School (became the independent Hampton School
in 1975) on Hanworth Road in Hampton
then Kingston Technical College
. He was educated at the London School of Economics
(BSc
Economics 1965) and at the University of London
(MSc 1967). He became a lecturer at the University of Wales, Swansea
in 1966 and remained there until his election to parliament in 1979.
in the October 1974 election
, and became the MP for Huddersfield East from 1979-83 and for Huddersfield
since the 1983 general election
. At the 2005 election
, despite a swing of 7.1% from Sheerman to his Liberal Democrat challenger, his majority was still 8,351.
From 1983-8 he was the Labour
spokesperson on education and employment; for Home Affairs (as Shadow Deputy Home Secretary
) from 1988-92; and for Disabled People's Rights from 1992-4. He has been Chair of the House of Commons Education and Skills select committee since 2001, since renamed the Children, Schools and Families Committee
in 2007. The Committee is often critical of government policy.
He is Chair of the Labour Forum for Criminal Justice and of the Cross-Party Advisory Group on Preparation for European Monetary Union. Outside parliament, he is Chair of the National Educational Research and Development Trust, and a trustee of the National Children's Centre. His political interests are listed as trade, industry, finance, further education
, education, economy, the European Union
, South America
and the United States
. His recreations include walking, biography and films.
In June 2009, Sheerman called for a secret ballot of the Parliamentary Labour Party
on whether Gordon Brown
should continue in office as prime minister. This followed widespread criticism of Brown's performance and the resignation of Cabinet member James Purnell
. Sheerman later reassured his local party chairman that he had not directly called for Brown's resignation.
, with whom he has one son (born in 1978) and three daughters (born in 1970, 1972 and 1981). He lives in a nearby village called Norwood Green
, which is outside the constituency town of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, and in Calderdale.
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 Co-operative
Labour Co-operative
Labour and Co-operative describes those candidates in British elections standing on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party, based on a national agreement between the two parties....
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 Huddersfield
Huddersfield (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:- Notes and references :...
since the 1979 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
.
Early life
Sheerman was born on 17 August 1940 in Sunbury-on-ThamesSunbury-on-Thames
Sunbury-on-Thames, also known as Sunbury, is a town in the Surrey borough of Spelthorne, England, and part of the London commuter belt. It is located 16 miles southwest of central London and bordered by Feltham and Hampton, flanked on the south by the River Thames.-History:The earliest evidence of...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
and went to Hampton Grammar School (became the independent Hampton School
Hampton School
Hampton School is an independent boys' day school in Hampton, London, England.-History:In 1556, Robert Hammond, a wealthy brewer who had acquired property in Hampton, left in his will provision for the maintenance of a 'free scole' and to build a small schoolhouse 'with seates in yt' in the...
in 1975) on Hanworth Road in Hampton
Hampton, London
Hampton is a suburban area, centred on an old village on the north bank of the River Thames, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in England. Formerly it was in the county of Middlesex, which was formerly also its postal county. The population is about 9,500...
then Kingston Technical College
Kingston College (England)
Kingston College is a College of Further and Higher Education based in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London, England. It has five campuses in the town of Kingston. The main campus is the tallest building in the town and is based on Kingston Hall Road. The second campus is based on Richmond Road and...
. He was educated at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
Economics 1965) and at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
(MSc 1967). He became a lecturer at the University of Wales, Swansea
Swansea 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...
in 1966 and remained there until his election to parliament in 1979.
Parliamentary career
Sheerman unsuccessfully contested TauntonTaunton (UK Parliament constituency)
Taunton was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessors from 1295 to 2010, taking its name from the town of Taunton in Somerset...
in the October 1974 election
United Kingdom general election, October 1974
The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of...
, and became the MP for Huddersfield East from 1979-83 and for Huddersfield
Huddersfield (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:- Notes and references :...
since the 1983 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
. At the 2005 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....
, despite a swing of 7.1% from Sheerman to his Liberal Democrat challenger, his majority was still 8,351.
From 1983-8 he was the 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...
spokesperson on education and employment; for Home Affairs (as Shadow Deputy Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
) from 1988-92; and for Disabled People's Rights from 1992-4. He has been Chair of the House of Commons Education and Skills select committee since 2001, since renamed the Children, Schools and Families Committee
Children, Schools and Families Committee
The Education Select Committee, previously the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
in 2007. The Committee is often critical of government policy.
He is Chair of the Labour Forum for Criminal Justice and of the Cross-Party Advisory Group on Preparation for European Monetary Union. Outside parliament, he is Chair of the National Educational Research and Development Trust, and a trustee of the National Children's Centre. His political interests are listed as trade, industry, finance, further education
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
, education, economy, the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His recreations include walking, biography and films.
In June 2009, Sheerman called for a secret ballot of the Parliamentary Labour Party
Parliamentary Labour Party
In UK politics, the Parliamentary Labour Party is the parliamentary party of the Labour Party in Parliament: Labour MPs as a collective body....
on whether 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...
should continue in office as prime minister. This followed widespread criticism of Brown's performance and the resignation of Cabinet member James Purnell
James Purnell
James Mark Dakin Purnell is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Stalybridge and Hyde from 2001 to 2010. He is currently the Head of the Open Left project at the left leaning think tank Demos...
. Sheerman later reassured his local party chairman that he had not directly called for Brown's resignation.
Personal life
Barry Sheerman married Pamela Elizabeth Brenchley in 1965 in north SurreySurrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, with whom he has one son (born in 1978) and three daughters (born in 1970, 1972 and 1981). He lives in a nearby village called Norwood Green
Norwood Green, West Yorkshire
Norwood Green is a small village situated between Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England. It is in the metropolitan borough of Calderdale. It once had a railway station on the Caldervale Line.- Nightlife and entertainment :...
, which is outside the constituency town of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, and in Calderdale.
External links
News items
- Appointments in October 2009
- Single mothers hostels in September 2009
- School bully in November 2006
- Choice of schools in August 2006
- Gas safety in February 2006
- Obsession with A levels in February 2005
- Women are brighter than men in December 2004