Stephen Hepburn
Encyclopedia
Stephen Hepburn is a British
Labour politician
, who has been the Member of Parliament
for Jarrow
since 1997.
, Tyneside
, the son of a shipyard
worker, and educated at the Springfield Comprehensive School
, Jarrow (now Jarrow School
) and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts
degree. He worked as a personal assistant to the MP for Jarrow Donald Dixon from 1979 until he succeeded Dixon as the local MP.
Borough Council in 1985, becoming the deputy leader for seven years in 1990, and he has remained a councillor whilst serving as an MP. He served as the chairman of the Tyne and Wear
Pensions for eight years from 1989. In the 1990s Hepburn was fined £75 for an assault on fellow councillor Iain Malcolm.
for Jarrow
following Dixon's retirement at the 1997 General Election
. Hepburn won the seat with a majority of 21,933 and has remained the MP there since. He made his maiden speech
on 21 May 1997, in which he mentioned Ellen Wilkinson
and the 1936 Jarrow March
. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo970521/debtext/70521-07.htm#70521-07_spnew0
In parliament he served on both the administration and the defence
select committees for four years from 1997. He joined the accommodation and works committee in 2003 until the 2005 General Election
, since when he has served on the Northern Ireland
select committee. He also serves as the chairman of the all party group on shipbuilding
and ship
repair, he is also the secretary of the all party group on football
.
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 politician
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...
, 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,...
for Jarrow
Jarrow (UK Parliament constituency)
Jarrow is a parliamentary 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:...
since 1997.
Early life and family
Stephen Hepburn was born in JarrowJarrow
Jarrow is a town in Tyne and Wear, England, located on the River Tyne, with a population of 27,526. From the middle of the 19th century until 1935, Jarrow was a centre for shipbuilding, and was the starting point of the Jarrow March against unemployment in 1936.-Foundation:The Angles re-occupied...
, 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...
, the son of a shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
worker, and educated at the Springfield Comprehensive School
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
, Jarrow (now Jarrow School
Jarrow School
Jarrow School is a secondary school located in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear admitting pupils aged 11 to 16.-Admissions:It is around a half-mile south-west of the southern entrance of the Tyne Tunnel, in Jarrow.- History :...
) and the University of Newcastle upon Tyne where he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts
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...
degree. He worked as a personal assistant to the MP for Jarrow Donald Dixon from 1979 until he succeeded Dixon as the local MP.
Career
He was elected as a councillor to the South TynesideSouth Tyneside
South Tyneside is a metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear in North East England.It is bordered by four other boroughs - Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead to the west, Sunderland in the south, and North Tyneside to the north. The border county of Northumberland lies further north...
Borough Council in 1985, becoming the deputy leader for seven years in 1990, and he has remained a councillor whilst serving as an MP. He served as the chairman of the Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
Pensions for eight years from 1989. In the 1990s Hepburn was fined £75 for an assault on fellow councillor Iain Malcolm.
Parliamentary life
He was elected to the British House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for Jarrow
Jarrow (UK Parliament constituency)
Jarrow is a parliamentary 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:...
following Dixon's retirement 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...
. Hepburn won the seat with a majority of 21,933 and has remained the MP there since. 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 21 May 1997, in which he mentioned Ellen Wilkinson
Ellen Wilkinson
Ellen Cicely Wilkinson was the Labour Member of Parliament for Middlesbrough and later for Jarrow on Tyneside. She was one of the first women in Britain to be elected as a Member of Parliament .- History :...
and the 1936 Jarrow March
Jarrow March
The Jarrow March , was an October 1936 protest march against unemployment and extreme poverty suffered in North East England. The 207 marchers travelled from the town of Jarrow to the Palace of Westminster in London, a distance of almost , to lobby Parliament...
. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo970521/debtext/70521-07.htm#70521-07_spnew0
In parliament he served on both the administration and the defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
select committees for four years from 1997. He joined the accommodation and works committee in 2003 until 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....
, since when he has served on the Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland Office
The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
select committee. He also serves as the chairman of the all party group on shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
and ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
repair, he is also the secretary of the all party group on football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
.