Diana Johnson
Encyclopedia
Diana Ruth Johnson is a British
Labour Party
politician
who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Hull North
since 2005
; she was the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State with responsibility for Schools in the Department for Children, Schools and Families
until the resignation of Gordon Brown
as Prime Minister
, as well as being an Assistant Whip
for the Government.
, Cheshire
. After returning from wartime service in the Navy her father, Eric Johnson, founded the Eric Johnson Electrical engineering
(electrician
s) company in Little Leigh
near Northwich, Cheshire (now continued by his son). She passed the Eleven plus and attended the Northwich County Grammar School for Girls on Granville Road which became the County High School Leftwich
. At sixth form she went to Sir John Deane's College
from 1982-4 where she studied History, English and Economics. She gained an LLB
in Law from Brunel University
. Johnson is a barrister
and was a councillor in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
from 1994 to 2002, serving as Chair of social services. She became a barrister in 1991. From 1999-2005, she was a Barrister in Law at Paddington Law Centre.
.
She became a member of the London Assembly on 1 March 2003 after the resignation of Trevor Phillips
who became chair of the Commission for Racial Equality
, having been next on the list of London-wide members at the 2000 election
. She did not stand for re-election in 2004.
At the May 2005 general election
, she was elected Labour Member of Parliament for the Kingston upon Hull North
constituency, succeeding veteran Labour MP Kevin McNamara
. She is Hull's first female MP.
In November 2005 Diana Johnson was appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary
to the Minister of State for Pensions Reform, Stephen Timms
. In 2007 she left this role to become an assistant Government Whip. She took on the additional role of Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools in the reshuffle of June 2009.
In the 2010 General Election Diana Johnson polled 39.2% of the vote and held onto the Hull North constituency for Labour with her majority reduced to 641 votes.
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 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 Hull North
Kingston upon Hull North (UK Parliament constituency)
Kingston upon Hull North is a borough 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:...
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....
; she was the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State with responsibility for Schools in the Department for Children, Schools and Families
Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
until the resignation of 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...
as Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, as well as being an Assistant Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
for the Government.
Early life
Johnson was born in NorthwichNorthwich
Northwich is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies in the heart of the Cheshire Plain, at the confluence of the rivers Weaver and Dane...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. After returning from wartime service in the Navy her father, Eric Johnson, founded the Eric Johnson Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
(electrician
Electrician
An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...
s) company in Little Leigh
Little Leigh
thumb|right|200px|Map of civil parish of Little Leigh within the former borough of Vale RoyalLittle Leigh is a civil parish and village within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is located approximately 2 miles north of Weaverham...
near Northwich, Cheshire (now continued by his son). She passed the Eleven plus and attended the Northwich County Grammar School for Girls on Granville Road which became the County High School Leftwich
County High School Leftwich
The County High School Leftwich is a small sized Media Arts co-educational comprehensive school that serves approximately 950 students between 11 to 16 years of age. It is next to the A556 bypass at the A533 junction, and near the River Dane.-Admissions:...
. At sixth form she went to Sir John Deane's College
Sir John Deane's College
Sir John Deane's College is a sixth form college in Northwich, Cheshire, UK. It was formerly Sir John Deane's Grammar School, which was founded in 1557.-History:...
from 1982-4 where she studied History, English and Economics. She gained an LLB
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in Law from Brunel University
Brunel University
Brunel University is a public research university located in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom. The university is named after the Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel....
. Johnson is a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and was a councillor in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough to the east of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It is in the eastern part of London and covers much of the traditional East End. It also includes much of the redeveloped Docklands region of London, including West India Docks...
from 1994 to 2002, serving as Chair of social services. She became a barrister in 1991. From 1999-2005, she was a Barrister in Law at Paddington Law Centre.
Parliamentary career
She stood unsuccessfully in Brentwood and Ongar at the 2001 general electionUnited 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...
.
She became a member of the London Assembly on 1 March 2003 after the resignation of Trevor Phillips
Trevor Phillips
Trevor Phillips OBE chairs the Equality and Human Rights Commission and is a former television executive and presenter...
who became chair of the Commission for Racial Equality
Commission for Racial Equality
The Commission for Racial Equality was a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom which aimed to tackle racial discrimination and promote racial equality. Its work has been merged into the new Equality and Human Rights Commission.-History:...
, having been next on the list of London-wide members at the 2000 election
London Assembly election, 2000
The first elections for members of the London Assembly were held on 4 May 2000, alongside the first mayoral election.The assembly elections used the Mixed member proportional representation, a form of Additional member system, with 14 directly elected constituencies and 11 London-wide top-up...
. She did not stand for re-election in 2004.
At the May 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....
, she was elected Labour Member of Parliament for the Kingston upon Hull North
Kingston upon Hull North (UK Parliament constituency)
Kingston upon Hull North is a borough 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:...
constituency, succeeding veteran Labour MP Kevin McNamara
Kevin McNamara (politician)
Dr. Joseph Kevin McNamara, KSG is a British Labour Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament for almost 40 years.-Early life:...
. She is Hull's first female MP.
In November 2005 Diana Johnson was appointed as a 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 the Minister of State for Pensions Reform, Stephen Timms
Stephen Timms
Stephen Creswell Timms is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for East Ham since 1994. He is a former Cabinet Minister having served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 2006 to 2007...
. In 2007 she left this role to become an assistant Government Whip. She took on the additional role of Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools in the reshuffle of June 2009.
In the 2010 General Election Diana Johnson polled 39.2% of the vote and held onto the Hull North constituency for Labour with her majority reduced to 641 votes.
External links
- Diana Johnson MP's website official site
- The Labour Party - Diana Johnson MP official biography
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Diana Johnson MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Diana Johnson MP
- BBC Politics