Tom Greatrex
Encyclopedia
Thomas James Greatrex (born 30 September 1974) is a British Labour Co-operative
politician, who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Rutherglen and Hamilton West
since 2010. He is presently Shadow Energy Minister.
. Brought up in Ashford
, he attended The Judd School
between 1986 and 1993, before studying Economics, Government and Law at the London School of Economics
, graduating in 1996.
He currently lives in Cambuslang
and is married, with twin daughters.
, prior to the 1997 General Election
, remaining in the role after Nick Brown
took over as Chief Whip
, later moving with him to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
in 1998. He left this role in 1999 to work as a GMB Union
official for five years. He first moved to Scotland in 2004 to take on a role as a chief officer at East Dunbartonshire Council then worked as Director of Corporate Affairs for NHS 24 between 2006 and 2007. He latterly worked as a policy adviser for Scottish Secretaries Douglas Alexander
, Des Browne
and Jim Murphy
.
candidate fro Rutherglen and Hamilton West
, he was elected with a majority of 21,002 at the United Kingdom general election, 2010.
He was the Shadow Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
supporting Ann McKechin, Shadow Secretary State for Scotland until October 2011, when he was made Shadow Energy Minister.
Labour Co-operative
Labour and Co-operative describes those candidates in British elections standing on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party, based on a national agreement between the two parties....
politician, who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Rutherglen and Hamilton West
Rutherglen and Hamilton West (UK Parliament constituency)
Rutherglen and Hamilton West is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which was first used in the general election of 2005...
since 2010. He is presently Shadow Energy Minister.
Early life
Greatrex was born in KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. Brought up in Ashford
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
, he attended The Judd School
The Judd School
The Judd School is a state secondary school in Tonbridge, Kent, southeast England. It was established in 1888 at Stafford House on East Street in Tonbridge, where it remained for eight years before moving to its present location on Brook Street, in the south of the town...
between 1986 and 1993, before studying Economics, Government and Law at 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...
, graduating in 1996.
He currently lives in Cambuslang
Cambuslang
Cambuslang is a suburban town on the south-eastern outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland. It is within the local authority area of South Lanarkshire. Historically, it was a large rural Parish incorporating nearby hamlets of Newton, Flemington, and Halfway. It is known as "the largest village in...
and is married, with twin daughters.
Career
He initially worked as a researcher to Shadow Chief Whip Donald DewarDonald Dewar
Donald Campbell Dewar was a British politician who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament in Scotland from 1966-1970, and then again from 1978 until his death in 2000. He served in Tony Blair's cabinet as Secretary of State for Scotland from 1997-1999 and was instrumental in the creation...
, prior to 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...
, remaining in the role after Nick Brown
Nick Brown
Nicholas Hugh "Nick" Brown is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne East since 1983...
took over as Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
, later moving with him to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food was a United Kingdom government department created by the Board of Agriculture Act 1889 and at that time called the Board of Agriculture, and then from 1903 the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, and from 1919 the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries...
in 1998. He left this role in 1999 to work as a GMB Union
GMB Union
The GMB is a general trade union in the United Kingdom, and has more than 600,000 members. Its members are drawn from many sectors, with particular strength amongst manual workers in local government and the health service...
official for five years. He first moved to Scotland in 2004 to take on a role as a chief officer at East Dunbartonshire Council then worked as Director of Corporate Affairs for NHS 24 between 2006 and 2007. He latterly worked as a policy adviser for Scottish Secretaries Douglas Alexander
Douglas Alexander
Douglas Garven Alexander is a British Labour Party politician, who is currently the Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the shadow cabinet of Ed Miliband. He has held cabinet posts under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, including Secretary of State for Scotland and...
, Des Browne
Des Browne
Desmond Henry Browne, Baron Browne of Ladyton is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock and Loudoun from 1997 to 2010...
and Jim Murphy
Jim Murphy
James Francis "Jim" Murphy is a British Labour Party politician and is the Member of Parliament for East Renfrewshire....
.
Political career
Selected as the Scottish Labour PartyScottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
candidate fro Rutherglen and Hamilton West
Rutherglen and Hamilton West (UK Parliament constituency)
Rutherglen and Hamilton West is a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which was first used in the general election of 2005...
, he was elected with a majority of 21,002 at the United Kingdom general election, 2010.
He was the Shadow Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
Under-Secretary of State for Scotland
The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland is a junior ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, supporting the Secretary of State for Scotland...
supporting Ann McKechin, Shadow Secretary State for Scotland until October 2011, when he was made Shadow Energy Minister.