Gordon Marsden
Encyclopedia
Gordon Marsden is a British
Labour Party
politician
who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Blackpool South
since 1997
.
, an independent school
in the city of Stockport
in Cheshire
, followed by New College, Oxford
where he attained a first-class degree
in Modern History. He then went on to postgraduate studies at the Warburg Institute
(part of the University of London
) and Harvard University
's Kennedy School of Government, being a Kennedy Scholar in Politics and International Relations.
Before entering Parliament he had been a tutor for the Open University
since 1994, as well as a public affairs adviser to English Heritage
and, for twelve years, the editor of History Today
and New Socialist magazine.
to Lord Irvine of Lairg in the Lord Chancellor's Department
(2001-3), Tessa Jowell
as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
(2003-5) and John Denham as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
and shadow communities secretary (2009-).
In 2003, he was made a Visiting Parliamentary Fellow of St Antony's College, Oxford
.
Gordon is a member of the House of Commons Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee
and previously served on the Education and Skills Select Committee before it was dissolved in 2007.
He is Chair of the Associate Parliamentary Skills Group and of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Veterans.
, of which he was chairman in 2000-1. He also served a Chair of the Young Fabians
and now serves as a Trustee of Dartmouth Street, the building where the Society is based.
Gordon Brown
on Seaside and Coastal Towns.
Earlier this year Gordon was named as one of the Daily Telegraph's expenses "saints", due to the low levels of his expenses claims.
When Parliament is sitting he commutes to London from his main home in Brighton, while his Blackpool constituency home which is a rented flat above his office in Highfield Road and is his designated second home.
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 Blackpool South
Blackpool South (UK Parliament constituency)
Blackpool South is a borough constituency in Lancashire, 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, and was created in 1945.-History:...
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
Marsden was educated at Stockport Grammar SchoolStockport Grammar School
Stockport Grammar School is a co-educational independent school in Stockport, England, founded in 1487 by the 1482 Lord Mayor of London Sir Edmund Shaa.The school motto is "Vincit qui patitur" – He who endures, conquers....
, an independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in the city of Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
in 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...
, followed by New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
where he attained a first-class degree
British undergraduate degree classification
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for undergraduate degrees in the United Kingdom...
in Modern History. He then went on to postgraduate studies at the Warburg Institute
Warburg Institute
The Warburg Institute is a research institution associated with the University of London in central London, England. A member of the School of Advanced Study, its focus is the study of the influence of classical antiquity on all aspects of European civilisation.-History:The Institute was founded by...
(part of 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...
) and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's Kennedy School of Government, being a Kennedy Scholar in Politics and International Relations.
Before entering Parliament he had been a tutor for the Open University
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
since 1994, as well as a public affairs adviser to English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
and, for twelve years, the editor of History Today
History Today
History Today is an illustrated history magazine. Published monthly in London since January 1951, it is the world's leading, and possibly oldest, history magazine. Its successful mission has always been to present serious and authoritative history to as wide a public as possible...
and New Socialist magazine.
Parliamentary career
Marsden first contested the seat of Blackpool South in 1992 and won it in 1997. Once elected to Parliament, Gordon served as Parliamentary Private SecretaryParliamentary 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 Lord Irvine of Lairg in the Lord Chancellor's Department
Lord Chancellor's Department
The Lord Chancellor's Department was a United Kingdom government department answerable to the Lord Chancellor with jurisdiction over England and Wales....
(2001-3), Tessa Jowell
Tessa Jowell
Tessa Jowell is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Dulwich and West Norwood since 1992. Formerly a member of both the Blair and Brown Cabinets, she is currently the Shadow Minister for the Olympics and Shadow Minister for London.-Early life:Tessa Jane...
as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport is a United Kingdom cabinet position with responsibility for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The role was created in 1992 by John Major as Secretary of State for National Heritage...
(2003-5) and John Denham as Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, is a Cabinet position heading the UK's Department for Communities and Local Government....
and shadow communities secretary (2009-).
In 2003, he was made a Visiting Parliamentary Fellow of St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College, Oxford
St Antony's College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.St Antony's is the most international of the seven all-graduate colleges of the University of Oxford, specialising in international relations, economics, politics, and history of particular parts of the...
.
Gordon is a member of the House of Commons Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee
Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee
The Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Select Committee was a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
and previously served on the Education and Skills Select Committee before it was dissolved in 2007.
He is Chair of the Associate Parliamentary Skills Group and of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Veterans.
Fabian Society
Marsden is a member of the Fabian SocietyFabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
, of which he was chairman in 2000-1. He also served a Chair of the Young Fabians
Young Fabians
The Young Fabians is the under 31 years of age section of the Fabian Society, a socialist society in the United Kingdom.- History :The Fabian Society was founded by a group of young idealists in the late 19th century . For example HG Wells was 27 when he joined the Committee as was George Bernard...
and now serves as a Trustee of Dartmouth Street, the building where the Society is based.
Seaside towns
Marsden convened the first group of Labour MPs representing seaside and coastal towns. In 2007 Gordon was asked to chair a Manifesto Group for the Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
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...
on Seaside and Coastal Towns.
Personal life
Marsden is gay and lives with his partner.Earlier this year Gordon was named as one of the Daily Telegraph's expenses "saints", due to the low levels of his expenses claims.
When Parliament is sitting he commutes to London from his main home in Brighton, while his Blackpool constituency home which is a rented flat above his office in Highfield Road and is his designated second home.
External links
- Gordon Marsden MP Homepage
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Gordon Marsden MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Gordon Marsden MP
- BBC Politics page