Rosie Winterton
Encyclopedia
Rosalie "Rosie" Winterton (born 10 August 1958) is a British
Labour Party
politician
who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Doncaster Central
since 1997
. Formerly a minister within both the Blair
and Brown Governments
, she first entered the Shadow Cabinet in May 2010 as the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
. On 29 September 2010 she was nominated to stand unopposed as Labour Chief Whip
.
) on Danum Road and then reading for a BA
in History at the University of Hull
in 1979, Winterton first worked as John Prescott
's Constituency Personal Assistant from 1980 until 1986, and then Parliamentary Officers, first for Southwark Council for two years until 1988 and then for a further two for the Royal College of Nursing
until 1990. After working for four years in the private sector, as Managing Director of Connect Public Affairs, she returned to politics to assist John Prescott in 1994; Prescott had been elected as the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and Winterton worked as Head of Office for the Deputy Party Leader until 1997.
in the 1997 election
, serving the safe Labour
seat of Doncaster Central
constituency with a vote share exceeding 50% in each general election until in 2010, where her vote share fell to 39.7%. She entered government in 2001, serving as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
in the Lord Chancellor's Department
, and became a Minister of State
at the Department for Health in June 2003; in January 2006 her responsibilities were changed to Health Services, including responsibility for dentistry. She presided over the introduction of the new NHS dental contract of April 2006.
In June 2006, she was appointed to the Privy Council, and she was sworn in on 19 July 2006.
In June 2007, she was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Transport
by the new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown
. Winterton was subsequently appointed Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber in addition to her DfT responsibilities on 24 January 2008. She was promoted to Minister of State
for Pensions at the Department for Work and Pensions
in the October 2008 reshuffle, retaining her Ministerial brief for Yorkshire and the Humber.
Winterton was caught up in the row over MPs' expenses when it was claimed she used taxpayers' cash to soundproof the bedroom of her south London flat. According to The Daily Telegraph, the minister claimed a total of £86,277 over four years in additional costs allowance – close to the total allowed under Parliament's green book. In the June 2009 reshuffle Winterton was moved to Minister of State
for Regional Economic Development and Co-ordination at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
and the Department for Communities and Local Government
and in that role was invited to attend cabinet when her responsibility was on the agenda.
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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 Doncaster Central
Doncaster Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Doncaster Central is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created in 1983, it covers a similar area to the former Doncaster constituency...
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...
. Formerly a minister within both the Blair
Blair Ministry
Tony Blair was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for three successive parliamentary terms from 1997-2007. His Cabinet was reshuffled for each new parliament as well as changed during the three periods.-Formation:...
and Brown Governments
Brown Ministry
Gordon Brown took office as Prime Minister on 27 June 2007 and formed his Government. It ended, upon his resignation, on 11 May 2010. In his inaugural cabinet Brown appointed the UKs first female Home Secretary Jacqui Smith....
, she first entered the Shadow Cabinet in May 2010 as the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Shadow Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet responsible for working with the Leader of the House in arranging Commons business and holding the Government to account in its overall management of the House...
. On 29 September 2010 she was nominated to stand unopposed as Labour Chief Whip
Labour Chief Whip
This is a list of those people who have served as Chief Whip of the Labour Party in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-House of Commons:*1906: David Shackleton*1906: Arthur Henderson*1907: George Roberts*1914: Arthur Henderson*1914: Frank Goldstone...
.
Early life
Educated at St. Mary's (now Hill House School, Doncaster), Ackworth School (an independent boarding school) and Danum Grammar School for Girls (later called Danum School, now called Danum School Technology CollegeDanum School Technology College
Danum Academy is a comprehensive academy for the east of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. Danum is the Roman name for Doncaster. Prior to September 2011 the school was named Danum School Technology College.-Admissions:...
) on Danum Road and then reading for 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 History at the University of Hull
University of Hull
The University of Hull, known informally as Hull University, is an English university, founded in 1927, located in Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
in 1979, Winterton first worked as 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...
's Constituency Personal Assistant from 1980 until 1986, and then Parliamentary Officers, first for Southwark Council for two years until 1988 and then for a further two for the Royal College of Nursing
Royal College of Nursing
The Royal College of Nursing is a union membership organisation with over 395,000 members in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1916, receiving its Royal Charter in 1928, Queen Elizabeth II is the patron...
until 1990. After working for four years in the private sector, as Managing Director of Connect Public Affairs, she returned to politics to assist John Prescott in 1994; Prescott had been elected as the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and Winterton worked as Head of Office for the Deputy Party Leader until 1997.
Parliamentary career
Winterton became an MPMember 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,...
in the 1997 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...
, serving the safe 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...
seat of Doncaster Central
Doncaster Central (UK Parliament constituency)
Doncaster Central is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created in 1983, it covers a similar area to the former Doncaster constituency...
constituency with a vote share exceeding 50% in each general election until in 2010, where her vote share fell to 39.7%. She entered government in 2001, serving as a 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....
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....
, and became a Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
at the Department for Health in June 2003; in January 2006 her responsibilities were changed to Health Services, including responsibility for dentistry. She presided over the introduction of the new NHS dental contract of April 2006.
In June 2006, she was appointed to the Privy Council, and she was sworn in on 19 July 2006.
In June 2007, she was appointed Minister 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...
by the new Prime Minister, 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...
. Winterton was subsequently appointed Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber in addition to her DfT responsibilities on 24 January 2008. She was promoted to Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
for Pensions at the Department for Work and Pensions
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
in the October 2008 reshuffle, retaining her Ministerial brief for Yorkshire and the Humber.
Winterton was caught up in the row over MPs' expenses when it was claimed she used taxpayers' cash to soundproof the bedroom of her south London flat. According to The Daily Telegraph, the minister claimed a total of £86,277 over four years in additional costs allowance – close to the total allowed under Parliament's green book. In the June 2009 reshuffle Winterton was moved to Minister of State
Minister of State
Minister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
for Regional Economic Development and Co-ordination at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is a ministerial department of the United Kingdom Government created on 5 June 2009 by the merger of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .-Ministers:The BIS...
and the Department for Communities and Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
and in that role was invited to attend cabinet when her responsibility was on the agenda.
Positions held
- June 2001 – June 2003: Parliamentary under Secretary of State at the Lord Chancellor's DepartmentLord Chancellor's DepartmentThe Lord Chancellor's Department was a United Kingdom government department answerable to the Lord Chancellor with jurisdiction over England and Wales....
- June 2003 – June 2007: Minister of StateMinister of StateMinister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
for Health Services - June 2007 – October 2008: Minister of State for TransportDepartment for TransportIn 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...
- January 2008 – May 2010: Minister for Yorkshire & the HumberRegional ministerIn England, regional ministers were appointed from 2007 on a part-time basis as part of the Government of the United Kingdom. Each minister had other departmental responsibilities, as well as specific responsibilities for one of the English regions...
- October 2008 – June 2009: Minister of State for PensionsDepartment for Work and PensionsThe Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
- June 2009 – May 2010: Minister of State for Local GovernmentDepartment for Communities and Local GovernmentThe Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
and for Regional Economic Development & CoordinationDepartment for Business, Innovation and SkillsThe Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is a ministerial department of the United Kingdom Government created on 5 June 2009 by the merger of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform .-Ministers:The BIS... - May 2010 – October 2010: Shadow Leader of the House of CommonsShadow Leader of the House of CommonsThe Shadow Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet responsible for working with the Leader of the House in arranging Commons business and holding the Government to account in its overall management of the House...
, Shadow Lord Privy Seal - October 2010–Present: Labour Chief WhipLabour Chief WhipThis is a list of those people who have served as Chief Whip of the Labour Party in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-House of Commons:*1906: David Shackleton*1906: Arthur Henderson*1907: George Roberts*1914: Arthur Henderson*1914: Frank Goldstone...
External links
- Rosie Winterton MP official constituency website
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