John Heppell
Encyclopedia
John Heppell is a former British
Labour Party
politician who was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Nottingham East
from 1992
until he stepped down at the 2010 general election. He was Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
from 2005 to 2007.
, Tyneside
and was educated locally at the Rutherford Grammar School (now the low-performing Westgate Community School) on West Road in Fenham
, then the South East Northumberland Technical College (became North Tyneside College and now called Tyne Metropolitan College
) on Coast Road
in Wallsend
, and he completed his education at the Ashington Technical College (now called Northumberland College
) on College Road in Ashington
. He worked for the National Coal Board
from 1964 as a fitter
until he left in 1970 to work as a fitter in Nottingham
. He joined British Rail
in 1975, originally as a diesel fitter, becoming a workshop
supervisor in 1978 until he left in 1989.
for Nottingham East by defeating the sitting Conservative
MP Michael Knowles
by 7,680 votes and remained the MP there until 2010. He made his maiden speech
on 11 May 1992, in which he recalled that it was in his constituency at Sneinton
that the founder of the Salvation Army
William Booth
launched his crusade against poverty in the early 19th century.
In Parliament
, Heppell was appointed as the Parliamentary Private Secretary
(PPS) to the Leader of the House of Lords
Ivor Richard
in 1997 and became the PPS to the Deputy Prime Minister
John Prescott
in 1998. He became a member of the Tony Blair
government following the 2001 general election
when he was appointed as a Lord Commissioner to the Treasury and Government Whip and was promoted within the Whips Office
becoming the Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
following the 2005 general election
. He held this office until June 2007. He was a member of the selection select committee from 2001.
Heppell has been married to Eileen Golding since 1974 and they have two sons, a daughter and two grandchildren. He used to have the words love and hate tattoo
ed on his knuckle
s, but they have since been removed. He is a member of the General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trade Union
having resigned from the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
in 2002. He is a keen ornithologist and enjoys reading, swimming and walking his dogs.
On 26 March 2010, Heppell announced that he would stand down at the 2010 general election due to his wife suffering from breast cancer.
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 who was 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 Nottingham East
Nottingham East (UK Parliament constituency)
Nottingham East 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:...
from 1992
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
until he stepped down at the 2010 general election. He was Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household is usually a junior government whip in the British House of Commons and is an officer of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He or she is the Deputy to the Lord Chamberlain of the Household. The Vice-Chamberlain's main role is to compile...
from 2005 to 2007.
Early life
Heppell was born in Newcastle upon TyneNewcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, Tyneside
Tyneside
Tyneside is a conurbation in North East England, defined by the Office of National Statistics, which is home to over 80% of the population of Tyne and Wear. It includes the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Gateshead, North Tyneside and South Tyneside — all settlements on...
and was educated locally at the Rutherford Grammar School (now the low-performing Westgate Community School) on West Road in Fenham
Fenham
Fenham is an area of the west end of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It lies to the west of the city centre, and is bounded on the north and east by a large area of open land known as the Town Moor. To the south lies Benwell, whilst West Denton lies to the west, Blakelaw and Cowgate to the north, and...
, then the South East Northumberland Technical College (became North Tyneside College and now called Tyne Metropolitan College
Tyne Metropolitan College
Tyne Metropolitan College is a large college of further education in North Tyneside, England.-Admissions:The main college site is situated in Willington Square, off the A1058 Coast Road, and a kilometre west of the main A19/A1058 intersection .-Tynemouth High School:Tynemouth Municipal High School...
) on Coast Road
A1058 road
The A1058 or the Coast Road is a major road in North Tyneside. It runs from Jesmond in Newcastle upon Tyne to Tynemouth which is located on the coast to the east from Newcastle City Centre. From Heaton to Billy Mill the road is built to grade-separated dual carriageway standard...
in Wallsend
Wallsend
Wallsend is an area in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. Wallsend derives its name as the location of the end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 42,842.-Romans:...
, and he completed his education at the Ashington Technical College (now called Northumberland College
Northumberland College
Northumberland College is a further education college based in Ashington, Northumberland, England. The present site opened in 1957, became the County Technical College in 1961, transformed again in 1987, becoming the Northumberland College of Arts and Technology, and finally settled upon its...
) on College Road in Ashington
Ashington
Ashington is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England with a population of around 27,000 people; it was once a centre of the coal mining industry. The town is located some north of Newcastle upon Tyne off the A189. The south of the town is bordered by the River Wansbeck...
. He worked for the National Coal Board
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
from 1964 as a fitter
Fitter
Fitter may refer to:* Fitter , a Soviet attack aircraft* Fitter , a person who uses machine tools to make or modify parts* Comparative of the adjective "fit"-People named Fitter:* Alastair Fitter, British ecologist...
until he left in 1970 to work as a fitter in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. He joined British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
in 1975, originally as a diesel fitter, becoming a workshop
Workshop
A workshop is a room or building which provides both the area and tools that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods...
supervisor in 1978 until he left in 1989.
Parliamentary career
Heppell was elected as a councillor to the Nottinghamshire County Council in 1981, serving as the deputy leader for three years from 1989, stepping down from the council in 1993. He was elected to the House of Commons at the 1992 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
for Nottingham East by defeating the sitting 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...
MP Michael Knowles
Michael Knowles (politician)
Michael Knowles was British Conservative Member of Parliament for Nottingham East from 1983 until he lost the seat at the 1992 general election to Labour's John Heppell....
by 7,680 votes and remained the MP there until 2010. 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 11 May 1992, in which he recalled that it was in his constituency at Sneinton
Sneinton
Sneinton is a south-eastern suburb of Nottingham, England. The area is bounded by Carlton to the north, Colwick to the south, Meadow Lane to the southwest and Bakersfield to the east.-Description:...
that the founder of the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
William Booth
William Booth
William Booth was a British Methodist preacher who founded The Salvation Army and became its first General...
launched his crusade against poverty in the early 19th century.
In Parliament
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...
, Heppell was appointed as 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 the Leader of the House of Lords
Leader of the House of Lords
The Leader of the House of Lords is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Lords. The role is always held in combination with a formal Cabinet position, usually one of the sinecure offices of Lord President of the Council,...
Ivor Richard
Ivor Richard, Baron Richard
Ivor Seward Richard, Baron Richard, PC , is a British politician belonging to the Labour Party and former member of the Commission of the European Communities.-Background:...
in 1997 and became the PPS to the Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a senior member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not a permanent position, existing only at the discretion of the Prime Minister, who may appoint to other offices...
John Prescott
John Prescott
John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott is a British politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007. Born in Prestatyn, Wales, he represented Hull East as the Labour Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010...
in 1998. He became a member of the Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
government following 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...
when he was appointed as a Lord Commissioner to the Treasury and Government Whip and was promoted within the Whips Office
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...
becoming the Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household is usually a junior government whip in the British House of Commons and is an officer of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He or she is the Deputy to the Lord Chamberlain of the Household. The Vice-Chamberlain's main role is to compile...
following 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....
. He held this office until June 2007. He was a member of the selection select committee from 2001.
Heppell has been married to Eileen Golding since 1974 and they have two sons, a daughter and two grandchildren. He used to have the words love and hate tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
ed on his knuckle
Knuckle
The knuckles are the joints of the fingers and toes, which are brought into prominence when the hand is clenched and a fist is made. The word is cognate to similar words in other Germanic languages, such as the Dutch "Knokkel" or German "Knöchel" , i.e., Knöchlein, the diminutive of the German...
s, but they have since been removed. He is a member of the General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trade Union
GMB Union
The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom, and has more than 600,000 members. Its members are drawn from many sectors, with particular strength amongst manual workers in local government and the health service...
having resigned from the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers is a trade union in the United Kingdom which unionises transport workers. It has more than 80,000 members, and its current general secretary is Bob Crow...
in 2002. He is a keen ornithologist and enjoys reading, swimming and walking his dogs.
On 26 March 2010, Heppell announced that he would stand down at the 2010 general election due to his wife suffering from breast cancer.