Nick Ainger
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Richard 'Nick' Ainger (born 24 October 1949) is a British
politician
. A member of the Labour Party
, he served as the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Pembrokeshire
from 1992
to 1997
and then, following boundary changes, as MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
from 1997 to 2010.
in 1949, and was educated at the Netherthorpe Grammar School
in Staveley, Derbyshire
, and after leaving education in 1967 moved to Milford Haven
and became a dock worker at the Marine and Port Services of Pembroke Dock
. He was a senior shop steward in the Transport and General Workers Union for 14 years whilst at the docks, and became elected to the former Dyfed
County Council, on which he served from 1981 until his election to Parliament in 1992.
with a slender majority of 755. He re-elected in 1997 for the re-drawn seat of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire with a majority of 9,621.
From 1997 to 2001, Ainger served as the Parliamentary Private Secretary
to the Wales Office
(and its predecessor the Welsh Office
), serving three successive Welsh Secretaries
(Ron Davies, Alun Michael
and Paul Murphy). He was promoted in 2001 to Commons Whip
and a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury. In 2005 he was promoted to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
at the Wales Office, a position he held until 2007. From November 2007 to May 2010 he was a member of the Treasury select committee
. He campaigned on fuel poverty and better regulation of the banking industry.
At the 2010 general election, Ainger was defeated by the Conservative Party
candidate Simon Hart
.
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. A member of the 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...
, he served as 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 Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Pembrokeshire was a parliamentary constituency based on the county of Pembrokeshire in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.- History :...
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...
to 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 then, following boundary changes, as MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
from 1997 to 2010.
Early life
Ainger was born in SheffieldSheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
in 1949, and was educated at the Netherthorpe Grammar School
Netherthorpe School
Netherthorpe School is a secondary school designated science college status that is based in the town of Staveley in the Chesterfield district of Derbyshire.-History:The school was founded in 1572A quote from an 1857 directory:...
in Staveley, Derbyshire
Staveley, Derbyshire
Staveley is a town within the borough of Chesterfield, in Derbyshire, England. The town is situated alongside the River Rother, adjacent to Eckington to the north, Barlborough to the east, Sutton-cum-Duckmanton civil parish to the south and Brimington to the west.-History:It has traditionally been...
, and after leaving education in 1967 moved to Milford Haven
Milford Haven
Milford Haven is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, a natural harbour used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was founded in 1790 on the north side of the Waterway, from which it takes its name...
and became a dock worker at the Marine and Port Services of Pembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock
Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard...
. He was a senior shop steward in the Transport and General Workers Union for 14 years whilst at the docks, and became elected to the former Dyfed
Dyfed
Dyfed is a preserved county of Wales. It was created on 1 April 1974 under the terms of the Local Government Act 1972, and covered approximately the same geographic extent as the ancient Principality of Deheubarth, although excluding the Gower Peninsula and the area west of the River Tawe...
County Council, on which he served from 1981 until his election to Parliament in 1992.
Parliamentary career
Ainger was first elected for the seat of Pembrokeshire 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...
with a slender majority of 755. He re-elected in 1997 for the re-drawn seat of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire with a majority of 9,621.
From 1997 to 2001, Ainger served 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...
to the Wales Office
Wales Office
The Wales Office / Swyddfa Cymru is a United Kingdom government department. It replaced the former Welsh Office, which had extensive responsibility for governing Wales prior to Welsh devolution in 1999....
(and its predecessor the Welsh Office
Welsh Office
The Welsh Office was a department in the Government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Wales. It was established in April 1965 to execute government policy in Wales, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Wales, a post which had been created in October 1964...
), serving three successive Welsh Secretaries
Secretary of State for Wales
The Secretary of State for Wales is the head of the Wales Office within the British cabinet. He or she is responsible for ensuring Welsh interests are taken into account by the government, representing the government within Wales and overseeing the passing of legislation which is only for Wales...
(Ron Davies, Alun Michael
Alun Michael
Alun Edward Michael is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Cardiff South and Penarth since 1987. He was formerly First Minister of Wales and leader of the Welsh Labour Party from 1999 to 2000.-Education:Michael was born at Bryngwran Anglesey, son of...
and Paul Murphy). He was promoted in 2001 to Commons 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...
and a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury. In 2005 he was promoted to Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
at the Wales Office, a position he held until 2007. From November 2007 to May 2010 he was a member of the Treasury select committee
Treasury Committee
The House of Commons Treasury Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
. He campaigned on fuel poverty and better regulation of the banking industry.
At the 2010 general election, Ainger was defeated by the Conservative Party
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...
candidate Simon Hart
Simon Hart
Simon Anthony Hart is a British Conservative Party politician, who was elected in the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, defeating the previous Labour MP Nick Ainger who had represented the constituency since its creation in 1997.Hart...
.
Personal life
Ainger is a member of the RSPB and the Dyfed Wildlife Trust, and his other interests include swimming, walking, agriculture and the arts. He is married to Sally Robinson. The couple have one daughter.External links
- Nick Ainger official website
- Nick Ainger Welsh Labour Party profile