Karen Buck
Encyclopedia
Karen Patricia Buck is a British
Labour Party
politician
, who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Regent's Park and Kensington North since 1997
, and is a former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport
.
, County Tyrone
, Northern Ireland
, she was educated at the Chelmsford County High School for Girls
and the London School of Economics
, from where she was awarded a BSc
and a MSc
in Economics
, and a MA
in Social Policy
and Administration
. She joined the Labour Party in 1978. In 1979, she became a research and development worker with Outset, a charity working with disabled people
, before joining the Hackney London Borough Council
in 1983 initially as a senior disability officer, and from 1986 a public health
officer. She went to work for the Labour Party in 1987 as a health directorate researcher, becoming a campaign strategy coordinator in 1992. She was elected as a councillor to the City of Westminster
Council in 1990 and remained on the council until her election to parliament in 1997.
. This method of selection was subsequently declared illegal in January 1996 as it breached sex discrimination laws. Despite the ruling she remained in place as the candidate for the following year's election. The seat was based largely on the former Westminster North
held narrowly by the Conservative
former minister John Wheeler
. Wheeler retired, and Buck was elected at the 1997 General Election
as the Labour MP for Regent's Park and Kensington North with a majority of 14,657 and has been the MP there since. She made her maiden speech
on 17 June 1997.
Following her election to parliament, Buck joined the Social Security
Select Committee, and after the 2001 General Election
on the Work and Pensions Select Committee. In 2001, her appointment as an Assistant Government Whip
was announced without her knowledge and consent. She declined to take up the post. However, she did became a member of Tony Blair's
government in the wake of the 2005 General Election
as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport.
Buck made her name whilst a councillor at Westminster when she was involved in exposing fraudulent behaviour of Shirley Porter
http://www.bushywood.com/dame_shirley_porter.htm and the Homes for Votes scandal. She is more pro-hunting-ban than the average Labour MP, and against replacing Trident.
At the 2010 General Election she was elected MP for the new seat of Westminster North
with a majority of 2,126 over Joanne Cash
, the Conservative candidate.
She is married to Barrie Taylor and they have a son.
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 Regent's Park and Kensington North 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...
, and is a former Parliamentary 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...
.
Early life
Born in CastledergCastlederg
Castlederg is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Derg and is close to the border with County Donegal. The village has a ruined castle and two ancient tombs known as the Druid's Altar and Todd's Den...
, County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, she was educated at the Chelmsford County High School for Girls
Chelmsford County High School for Girls
Chelmsford County High School for Girls, or "CCHS", is a selective grammar school for girls aged 11–18 located in Chelmsford, Essex, England. It is one of the most consistently high-achieving secondary schools in the UK, regularly scoring in the top 5 schools for both GCSE and A-level results.In...
and the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
, from where she was awarded a BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
and a MSc
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, and a MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Social Policy
Social policy
Social policy primarily refers to guidelines, principles, legislation and activities that affect the living conditions conducive to human welfare. Thus, social policy is that part of public policy that has to do with social issues...
and Administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
. She joined the Labour Party in 1978. In 1979, she became a research and development worker with Outset, a charity working with disabled people
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
, before joining the Hackney London Borough Council
Hackney London Borough Council
Hackney London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Hackney in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. The council is unusual in the United Kingdom local government system in that its executive function...
in 1983 initially as a senior disability officer, and from 1986 a public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
officer. She went to work for the Labour Party in 1987 as a health directorate researcher, becoming a campaign strategy coordinator in 1992. She was elected as a councillor to the City of Westminster
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
Council in 1990 and remained on the council until her election to parliament in 1997.
Parliamentary career
Buck was selected to stand for election for Labour through an all-women shortlistAll-women shortlists
The use of all-women shortlists is the political practice intended to increase the proportion of female Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom by allowing only women to stand in particular constituencies for a particular political party. Though the practice is available to all parties, only...
. This method of selection was subsequently declared illegal in January 1996 as it breached sex discrimination laws. Despite the ruling she remained in place as the candidate for the following year's election. The seat was based largely on the former Westminster North
Westminster North (UK Parliament constituency)
Westminster North is a UK Parliamentary constituency in Central London and west London, comprising the northern part of the City of Westminster. It existed from 1983 to 1997...
held narrowly by 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...
former minister John Wheeler
John Wheeler
John Wheeler may refer to:* John Wheeler , American Emmy Award-winning audio/video engineer* John Wheeler , Union officer in the Civil War; killed at Gettysburg* John Wheeler John Wheeler may refer to:* John Wheeler (audio/video technologist) (born 1957), American Emmy Award-winning audio/video...
. Wheeler retired, and Buck was elected 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...
as the Labour MP for Regent's Park and Kensington North with a majority of 14,657 and has been the MP there since. She made her 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 17 June 1997.
Following her election to parliament, Buck joined the Social Security
Department of Social Security
The Department of Social Security is the name of a defunct governmental agency in the United Kingdom.The DSS replaced the older Department of Health and Social Security, from 1988 until 2001, when it was itself largely replaced as a department of the Government of the United Kingdom by the...
Select Committee, and 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...
on the Work and Pensions Select Committee. In 2001, her appointment as an Assistant 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...
was announced without her knowledge and consent. She declined to take up the post. However, she did became a member of Tony Blair's
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 in the wake of 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....
as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport.
Buck made her name whilst a councillor at Westminster when she was involved in exposing fraudulent behaviour of Shirley Porter
Shirley Porter
Dame Shirley Porter, Lady Porter, DBE, is a former Conservative leader of Westminster City Council in London and a prominent philanthropist in Israel and the UK. She is the daughter and heir of Sir Jack Cohen, the founder of Tesco supermarkets...
http://www.bushywood.com/dame_shirley_porter.htm and the Homes for Votes scandal. She is more pro-hunting-ban than the average Labour MP, and against replacing Trident.
At the 2010 General Election she was elected MP for the new seat of Westminster North
Westminster North (UK Parliament constituency)
Westminster North is a UK Parliamentary constituency in Central London and west London, comprising the northern part of the City of Westminster. It existed from 1983 to 1997...
with a majority of 2,126 over Joanne Cash
Joanne Cash
Joanne Cash is a media barrister. She was the unsuccessful Conservative Party candidate for Westminster North in the 2010 general election.-Early life:...
, the Conservative candidate.
She is married to Barrie Taylor and they have a son.
External links
- Karen Buck MP official site
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Karen Buck MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Karen Buck MP
- CNN.com video segment on Buck's 2010 reelection campaign: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/04/06/uk.election.analysis.oakley/index.html