Bob Blizzard
Encyclopedia
Robert John Blizzard is a British
Labour Party
politician, who served as the Member of Parliament
for Waveney
from 1997
to 2010.
and was educated at Culford School
in Bury St Edmunds and the University of Birmingham
, from where he was awarded a BA
degree in 1971.
After his own education, he became a teacher
. In 1973, he became an English teacher at Southfields Secondary School in Gravesend
, Kent
. He was appointed as the Head of the English Department at the Crayford School on Iron Mill Lane in Bexley
in 1976. In 1986, he became the Head of English at the Lynn Grove High School
in Gorleston-on-Sea
, Norfolk
.
in 1987, and became its leader in 1991. He stepped down from the council on his election to Westminster
. Bob Blizzard was selected to fight the Conservative
held seat of Waveney at the 1997 General Election
. In the year of the Labour landslide he defeated the sitting MP David Porter
by over 12,000 votes, and he was elected as the first Labour MP for Waveney. He made his maiden speech
on 10 June 1997.
From 1997-1999 he served on the Environmental Audit Select Committee. In 1999, he became the Parliamentary Private Secretary
(PPS) to Baroness Hayman
as Minister of State
at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
. After the 2001 General Election
he became PPS to the Rt Hon Nick Brown MP
in Brown's role as Minister for Work at the Department for Work and Pensions
. Blizzard resigned this position in March 2003 in protest at the Iraq War.
After the 2005 General Election
, Blizzard was appointed as PPS to the Europe Minister at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
, Douglas Alexander
, and remained Alexander's PPS when his boss became Secretary of State for Transport
in 2006. In the reshuffle following Gordon Brown
's appointment as Prime Minister in June 2007, he was promoted to the position of Assistant Whip
.
Following Gordon Brown
's October 2008 reshuffle, Blizzard was promoted from an Assistant Whip to a Government Whip
otherwise known as a 'Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
'.
Blizzard has been Chair of several All Party Parliamentary Groups
(APPGs), including: the British Offshore Oil and Gas APPG (1997–2007); the Renewable Transport Fuels APPG (2007); the British-Brazilian APPG (1997–2007); the British-Chilean APPG (2005–2007); the British-Latin America APPG (2004–2007). He has also been Secretary of the Jazz Appreciation APPG (2004–2007).
The policy areas in which he has a special interest include energy, employment, health, transport, education and foreign affairs.
. He won the ballot on members' first preference votes. The selection sets up a re-run of the 2010 election contest against Peter Aldous
.
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 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 Waveney
Waveney (UK Parliament constituency)
Waveney 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.
Early life
Bob Blizzard was born in 1950 in Bury St Edmunds, SuffolkSuffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
and was educated at Culford School
Culford School
Culford School is a coeducational HMC and IAPS public school for pupils age 3–18. Founded in 1881, it is situated in Culford, four miles north of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, England.-History:...
in Bury St Edmunds and the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
, from where he was awarded a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1971.
After his own education, he became a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
. In 1973, he became an English teacher at Southfields Secondary School in Gravesend
Gravesend, Kent
Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Tilbury in Essex. It is the administrative town of the Borough of Gravesham and, because of its geographical position, has always had an important role to play in the history and communications of this part of...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. He was appointed as the Head of the English Department at the Crayford School on Iron Mill Lane in Bexley
London Borough of Bexley
The London Borough of Bexley lies in south east Greater London, and is a borough referred to as part of Outer London. It has common borders with the London Borough of Bromley to the south, the London Borough of Greenwich to the west, across the River Thames to the north it borders the London...
in 1976. In 1986, he became the Head of English at the Lynn Grove High School
Lynn Grove High School
Lynn Grove VA High School is a Voluntary Aided comprehensive school with approximately 1100 children on roll of between 11 and 16. It is located in the town of Gorleston near Great Yarmouth in Norfolk...
in Gorleston-on-Sea
Gorleston
Gorleston-On-Sea, also known colloquially as Gorleston, is a settlement in Norfolk in the United Kingdom, forming part of the larger town of Great Yarmouth. Situated at the mouth of the River Yare it was a port town at the time of the Domesday Book. The port then became a centre of fishing for...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
.
Political career
He was elected as a councillor to Waveney District CouncilWaveney
Waveney is a local government district in Suffolk, England, named after the River Waveney that forms its north-west border. The district council is based in Lowestoft, the major settlement in Waveney, which is the only unparished area in the district...
in 1987, and became its leader in 1991. He stepped down from the council on his election to Westminster
Palace 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...
. Bob Blizzard was selected to fight the 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...
held seat of Waveney at 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...
. In the year of the Labour landslide he defeated the sitting MP David Porter
David Porter (UK politician)
David John Porter , was Conservative Member of Parliament for Waveney from 1987 to 1997.Before going into parliament he was a drama teacher at Kirkley High School. After the 1997 election, he concentrated his efforts on supporting the British film industry...
by over 12,000 votes, and he was elected as the first Labour MP for Waveney. He made his maiden speech
Maiden speech
A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament.Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country...
on 10 June 1997.
From 1997-1999 he served on the Environmental Audit Select Committee. In 1999, he became the 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...
(PPS) to Baroness Hayman
Helene Hayman, Baroness Hayman
Helene Valerie Hayman, Baroness Hayman, PC was Lord Speaker of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. As a member of the Labour Party she was a Member of Parliament from 1974 to 1979, and became a Life Peer in 1996...
as Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a United Kingdom government department created by the Board of Agriculture Act 1889 and at that time called the Board of Agriculture, and then from 1903 the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, and from 1919 the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries...
. After 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 became PPS to the Rt Hon Nick Brown MP
Nick Brown
Nicholas Hugh "Nick" Brown is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne East since 1983...
in Brown's role as Minister for Work at the Department for Work and Pensions
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
. Blizzard resigned this position in March 2003 in protest at the Iraq War.
After 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....
, Blizzard was appointed as PPS to the Europe Minister at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
, Douglas Alexander
Douglas Alexander
Douglas Garven Alexander is a British Labour Party politician, who is currently the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the shadow cabinet of Ed Miliband. He has held cabinet posts under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, including Secretary of State for Scotland and...
, and remained Alexander's PPS when his boss became Secretary of State for Transport
Secretary of State for Transport
The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. The role has had a high turnover as new appointments are blamed for the failures of decades of their predecessors...
in 2006. In the reshuffle following 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...
's appointment as Prime Minister in June 2007, he was promoted to the position of Assistant Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
.
Following 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...
's October 2008 reshuffle, Blizzard was promoted from an Assistant Whip to a Government Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
otherwise known as a 'Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
'.
Blizzard has been Chair of several All Party Parliamentary Groups
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:...
(APPGs), including: the British Offshore Oil and Gas APPG (1997–2007); the Renewable Transport Fuels APPG (2007); the British-Brazilian APPG (1997–2007); the British-Chilean APPG (2005–2007); the British-Latin America APPG (2004–2007). He has also been Secretary of the Jazz Appreciation APPG (2004–2007).
The policy areas in which he has a special interest include energy, employment, health, transport, education and foreign affairs.
Following defeat
Following the 2010 election, Bob produced a report which provided "An unflinching look at the bad results Labour suffered in the East, and ideas for how Labour can change its policies and the way it does business, to reclaim the ground it has lost". It can be seen on Bob's website.Reselected as Labour's candidate
On 21st October 2011, Bob was selected as Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Waveney, by the Constituency Labour PartyConstituency Labour Party
A Constituency Labour Party is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular UK parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland and Wales. The Labour Party in Northern Ireland has, since February 2009, been organised as a province-wide Constituency Labour Party...
. He won the ballot on members' first preference votes. The selection sets up a re-run of the 2010 election contest against Peter Aldous
Peter Aldous
Peter James Guy Aldous is a Conservative Party politician in England. A former local councillor, he has been the Member of Parliament for the Waveney constituency in Suffolk since winning the seat at the 2010 general election....
.
External links
- Bob Blizzard official campaign site
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Bob Blizzard MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Bob Blizzard MP
- BBC Politics page