Derek Twigg
Encyclopedia
John Derek Twigg is a British
Labour Party
politician
who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Halton
since 1997
.
). He started to work at the age of 16 as a civil servant for the Department for Employment (now the Department for Employment and Learning
) in Runcorn
for the next 19 years.
At the age of 18 Derek Twigg became the branch secretary to the Civil and Public Services Association
(now part of the Public and Commercial Services Union
) and in 1979 he joined the Labour Party. At the age of 21 he was elected to Cheshire County Council
and continued to be a county councilor until 1985. In 1983 he was elected to Halton Borough
Council. From 1996-7 he was a political consultant.
Derek Twigg was elected to succeed Gordon Oakes
as Member of Parliament
for the Halton Constituency
and made his maiden speech
on 10 June 1997. He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary
to Helen Liddell
and to Stephen Byers
and was appointed as a Government Whip
in June 2002. In December 2004 Derek Twigg was appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education and Skills and after the general election in May 2005
he became Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport
. In September 2006 he was appointed Under Secretary of State and Minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence
. In October 2008 he was replaced in this position and, declining the offer of another ministerial post, returned to the back benches
.
supporter, he attended the 1989 FA Cup semi-final tie between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest
at the Hillsborough stadium
, abandoned six minutes into the game. Twigg watched the unfolding Hillsborough disaster
tragedy from the north stand.
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
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 Halton
Halton (UK Parliament constituency)
Halton is a county constituency in Cheshire, 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.-History:The constituency was created in 1983...
since 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...
.
Early life
Derek Twigg went to Bankfield High School (now The Bankfield School) in Widnes, and then to Halton College of Further Education (now Riverside CollegeRiverside College, Halton
Riverside College is a further education college based over three sites in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, England.The college was estsblished from the merger of Halton College and Widnes & Runcorn Sixth Form College in August 2006...
). He started to work at the age of 16 as a civil servant for the Department for Employment (now the Department for Employment and Learning
Department for Employment and Learning
The Department for Employment and Learning , formerly the Department of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment , is a devolved Northern Ireland government department in the Northern Ireland Executive...
) in Runcorn
Runcorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the borough of Halton in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. In 2009, its population was estimated to be 61,500. The town is on the southern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north...
for the next 19 years.
At the age of 18 Derek Twigg became the branch secretary to the Civil and Public Services Association
Civil and Public Services Association
The Civil and Public Services Association was a trade union in the United Kingdom, representing civil servants.The union was founded in 1921, when the Civil Service Clerical Union and the Clerical Officers' Association merged to form the Civil Service Clerical Association. It affiliated with the...
(now part of the Public and Commercial Services Union
Public and Commercial Services Union
The Public and Commercial Services Union is the sixth largest trade union in the United Kingdom. Most of its members work in government departments and other public bodies although some work for private companies.- Membership and organisation :...
) and in 1979 he joined the Labour Party. At the age of 21 he was elected to Cheshire County Council
Cheshire County Council
Cheshire County Council was a County Council, of the second highest level of United Kingdom Government for the residents of Cheshire. Founded in 1889, it ceased to exist on 1 April 2009, when it and the district councils in Cheshire were replaced by two unitary authorities; Cheshire West and...
and continued to be a county councilor until 1985. In 1983 he was elected to Halton Borough
Halton (borough)
Halton is a local government district in North West England, with borough status and administered by a unitary authority. It was created in 1974 as a district of Cheshire, and became a unitary authority area on 1 April 1998. It consists of the towns of Widnes and Runcorn and the civil parishes of...
Council. From 1996-7 he was a political consultant.
Parliamentary career
At the general election in 1997United 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...
Derek Twigg was elected to succeed Gordon Oakes
Gordon Oakes
Gordon James Oakes was a British Labour Party politician.Oakes was educated at Wade Deacon grammar school, Widnes and at Liverpool University...
as 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 the Halton Constituency
Halton (UK Parliament constituency)
Halton is a county constituency in Cheshire, 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.-History:The constituency was created in 1983...
and 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. He served as 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...
to Helen Liddell
Helen Liddell
Helen Lawrie Liddell, Baroness Liddell of Coatdyke is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Monklands East from 1994 to 1997, and then for Airdrie and Shotts until 2005, whereafter she became the British High Commissioner to Australia until 2009...
and to Stephen Byers
Stephen Byers
Stephen John Byers is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for North Tyneside from 1997 to 2010; in the previous parliament, from 1992, he represented Wallsend...
and was appointed as 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...
in June 2002. In December 2004 Derek Twigg was appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education and Skills and after the general election in May 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....
he became Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
. In September 2006 he was appointed Under Secretary of State and Minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
. In October 2008 he was replaced in this position and, declining the offer of another ministerial post, returned to the back benches
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...
.
Personal life
He married Mary Cassidy in January 1988 in Widnes. They have a son (Sean Twigg born June 1989) and daughter (Megan Twigg born April 1992). Twigg lists his interests outside politics as hill walking, military history, particularly World War Two and Rugby League. A lifelong LiverpoolLiverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
supporter, he attended the 1989 FA Cup semi-final tie between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
at the Hillsborough stadium
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
, abandoned six minutes into the game. Twigg watched the unfolding Hillsborough disaster
Hillsborough disaster
The Hillsborough disaster was a human crush that occurred on 15 April 1989 at Hillsborough, a football stadium, the home of Sheffield Wednesday F.C. in Sheffield, England, resulting in the deaths of 96 people, and 766 being injured, all fans of Liverpool F.C....
tragedy from the north stand.
External links
- Derek Twigg, MP official constituency website
- Derek Twigg booed at the Headmasters conference in May 2005
- Video clip: Presenting veterans' badges on board HMS Belfast, 5 September 2007, video