Ken Purchase
Encyclopedia
Kenneth "Ken" Purchase is a British
Labour
Co-operative politician
, who was the Member of Parliament
for Wolverhampton North East from 1992
until 2010.
, he gained a BA
in Social Science. Ken worked as a co-operative development officer. He was an apprentice toolmaker in the foundry industry from 1956-60. From 1960-8, he worked in experimental component development in the aerospace industry. From 1968-76, he was a toolroom machinist in the car industry. He worked in the property division of Telford Development Corporation. From 1981-2, he was in the Housing Department of Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
. From 1982-92, he was a Business Development Advisor
at Black Country CDA Ltd. He was a councillor on Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council from 1970-90.
to Robin Cook
for six years.
On 27 October 2007 Purchase announced his intention to retire at the next general election.
. They have two daughters.
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
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...
Co-operative politician
Co-operative Party
The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour...
, 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,...
for Wolverhampton North East 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 2010.
Early life
He attended Springfield Secondary Modern School (became Woden Primary School) on Springfield Road in Wolverhampton. At Wolverhampton PolytechnicUniversity of Wolverhampton
The University of Wolverhampton is a British university located on four campuses across the West Midlands and Shropshire. The city campus is located in Wolverhampton city centre with a second campus at Compton Park, Wolverhampton; a third in Walsall and a fourth in Telford...
, he gained a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Social Science. Ken worked as a co-operative development officer. He was an apprentice toolmaker in the foundry industry from 1956-60. From 1960-8, he worked in experimental component development in the aerospace industry. From 1968-76, he was a toolroom machinist in the car industry. He worked in the property division of Telford Development Corporation. From 1981-2, he was in the Housing Department of Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council
Metropolitan Borough of Walsall
The Metropolitan Borough of Walsall is a local government district in the Black Country part of the West Midlands, England, with the status of a metropolitan borough. It is named after its largest settlement, Walsall, but covers a larger area which also includes the towns of Aldridge, Brownhills,...
. From 1982-92, he was a Business Development Advisor
Business development
A subset of the field of commerce, business development comprises a number of techniques and responsibilities which aim at:1. Researching new types of business/products/services with an emphasis on identifying gaps in the mitigation of needs of potential clients .2. Attracting new customers3...
at Black Country CDA Ltd. He was a councillor on Wolverhampton Metropolitan Borough Council from 1970-90.
Parliamentary career
He contested Wolverhampton North East in 1987. He 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 Robin Cook
Robin Cook
Robert Finlayson Cook was a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Livingston from 1983 until his death, and notably served in the Cabinet as Foreign Secretary from 1997 to 2001....
for six years.
On 27 October 2007 Purchase announced his intention to retire at the next general election.
Personal life
He married Brenda Sanders on 20 August 1960 in Rowley RegisRowley Regis
Rowley Regis is a town in the Sandwell metropolitan borough of the West Midlands county and a part of the Black Country in the United Kingdom. Being part of the Black Country, locals speak with the traditional dialect, though in a form regarded by many as the quickest and the hardest to...
. They have two daughters.
External links
- His website
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Ken Purchase MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Ken Purchase MP
- BBC Politics