Liz Blackman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Liz Blackman MP
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| In office 28 June 2007 – 5 October 2008 |
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| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
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| Preceded by | John Heppell |
| Succeeded by | Claire Ward |
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Member of Parliament
for Erewash |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 May 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Angela Knight |
| Majority | 7,084 (14.0%) |
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| Born | September 26, 1949 Penrith, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | Derek Blackman (div.) |
| Alma mater | Nottingham Trent University |
| Website | http://www.lizblackmanmp.org.uk |
Elizabeth Marion "Liz" Blackman (born 26 September 1949) is a British politician, and is the Labour Party Member of Parliament for Erewash. Blackman stood down from government in October 2008.
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[edit] Early life
Blackman was born in 1949 in Penrith, England. She was educated at the Carlisle County School for Girls (now called St Aidan's County High School since 1970) on Lismore Place; Prince Henry's Grammar School in Otley; and Clifton College, Nottingham, where she was awarded a BEd degree in 1972.
She taught history at Bramcote Park Comprehensive School, an upper school, in Nottingham, and in 1991 she was elected as a councillor to Broxtowe District Council, and became its deputy leader in 1995 until her election to Westminster in 1997. She stood down from the council in 1998.
[edit] Parliamentary career
Blackman was selected to stand for election for Labour through an all-women shortlist [1]. This method of selection was subsequently declared illegal in January 1996 as it breached sex discrimination laws.[2] Despite the ruling she remained in place as the candidate for the following year's election. Blackman was elected as the Labour MP for Erewash at the 1997 General Election, defeating the Conservative Angela Knight. She began her progress up the political ladder when she was nominated to the Treasury Select Committee in 1997, replacing Diane Abbott. In 2000 she became the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon. She remained Hoon's PPS after the 2005 General Election in his new position as Leader of the House of Commons. She was promoted to Government Whip and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household in 2007 but stood down from the government in 2008.
[edit] Expenses controversy
On 16 May 2009 the Daily Telegraph revealed details of Blackman's expense claims, showing she had made especially large Additional costs allowance claims. The paper revealed that she had gone on shopping sprees at the end of each financial year in order to claim the maximum possible expenses, purchasing items such as a £199 dvd player, £150 on bed linen and £60 on towels. In 2004/5 her claim was £9 below the maximum possible allowable claim of £20,893, and the following year her claim was within just £2 of the limit.[3] Blackman was one of 98 Mps who supported a bill in 2007 to keep their expense details secret.[4]
[edit] Personal life
She married Derek Blackman. They divorced in 1999. They have a son and daughter.
[edit] References
- ^ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19960109/ai_n9634358?tag=content;col1
- ^ "Labour blow as all-women lists outlawed". The Independent. Bnet.com. 9 January 1996. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19960109/ai_n9634289.
- ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5336308/Liz-Blackman-last-minute-shopping-sprees-on-MPs-expenses.html
- ^ http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1816072.ece
[edit] External links
- Official Website
- The Labour Party - Liz Blackman MP official biography
- Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Liz Blackman MP
- TheyWorkForYou.com - Liz Blackman MP
- BBC Politics page
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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| Preceded by Angela Knight |
Member of Parliament for Erewash 1997 – present |
Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by John Heppell |
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household 2007 – 2008 |
Succeeded by Claire Ward |
