David Clelland
Encyclopedia
David Gordon Clelland is a British
Labour Party
politician
. He was the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Tyne Bridge
from 1985
until 2010.
and educated locally at the Kelvin Grove Boys' School (now a primary school) on Kelvin Grove and the Gateshead and Hebburn Technical College
s. After leaving education in 1959 he was an electrical fitter for Rayrolle in Hebburn
for twenty-two years from 1964. He was elected as a councillor in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead
in 1972 and became its leader in 1984.
. Clelland won the seat at the by-election
on 5 December 1985 with a majority of 6,575. At the by-election he defeated Rod Kenyon
and Jacqui Lait
, the future Conservative
Member of Parliament for Beckenham
.
In Parliament David Clelland served on the Home Affairs Select Committee
from 1986 until he joined the Energy Select Committee for a year in 1989. He became a whip
in opposition in 1995 under the leadership of Tony Blair
and was made an Assistant Government Whip in office following the 1997 General Election
. He was promoted to become a Lord Commissioner to the Treasury, a 'full' whip, in January 2001.
He ceased being a whip in 2002, and became a member of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Select Committee, until 2005. Following the 2005 General Election
he became a member of the Transport Committee
. In 2002 he was appointed an advisor to the Minister of Sport
Richard Caborn
on greyhound racing
.
Following boundary changes the seat of Tyne Bridge was abolished and replaced by a new seat Gateshead
at 2010 general election. Following a close fought contest with Sharon Hodgson
, the MP for Gateshead East and Washington West, Clelland was chosen to fight the new seat at the next election for the Labour Party.
On 26 January 2010, Clelland announced that he would stand down at the 2010 General Election.
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...
. He was 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 Tyne Bridge
Tyne Bridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Tyne Bridge was a parliamentary constituency in the north east of England, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, from 1983 until 2010...
from 1985
Tyne Bridge by-election, 1985
The Tyne Bridge by-election, 1985 was a parliamentary by-election held on 5 December 1985 for the British House of Commons constituency of Tyne Bridge.- Previous MP :...
until 2010.
Early life
David Clelland was born in GatesheadGateshead
Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...
and educated locally at the Kelvin Grove Boys' School (now a primary school) on Kelvin Grove and the Gateshead and Hebburn Technical College
South Tyneside College
South Tyneside College is a large further education college in South Tyneside in North East England, with its main sites in the towns of South Shields and Hebburn. The college offers part-time and full-time courses for both young students and adults alike...
s. After leaving education in 1959 he was an electrical fitter for Rayrolle in Hebburn
Hebburn
Hebburn is a small town situated on the south bank of the River Tyne in North East England, sandwiched between the towns of Jarrow and Bill Quay...
for twenty-two years from 1964. He was elected as a councillor in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead
Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead
The Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. It is named after its largest town, Gateshead, but also spans the towns of Rowlands Gill, Whickham, Blaydon and Ryton; suburban areas include Felling, Pelaw, Dunston and Low Fell.It is bordered...
in 1972 and became its leader in 1984.
Parliamentary career
He was selected to contest the 1985 Tyne Bridge by-election, one of the safest Labour seats in the country, which had become vacant following the death of the MP Harry CowansHarry Cowans
Harry Lowes Cowans was a British Labour Party politician.Cowans was elected Member of Parliament for Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central at a 1976 by-election. After boundary changes, he was elected for Tyne Bridge in 1983. He died in office aged 52 in 1985.- External links :...
. Clelland won the seat at the by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
on 5 December 1985 with a majority of 6,575. At the by-election he defeated Rod Kenyon
Rod Kenyon
Rod Kenyon contested Houghton le Spring and Washington in the 1983 and 1987 General Elections. In 1985 he contested the Tyne Bridge by election for the SDP-Liberal Alliance finishing second to David Clelland....
and Jacqui Lait
Jacqui Lait
Jacqueline Anne "Jacqui" Lait is a British Conservative Party politician and former Member of Parliament for Beckenham.-Early life:...
, the future Conservative
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...
Member of Parliament for Beckenham
Beckenham (UK Parliament constituency)
Beckenham 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.-Constituency profile:...
.
In Parliament David Clelland served on the Home Affairs Select Committee
Home Affairs Select Committee
The Home Affairs Select Committee is a Committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-Remit:The Home Affairs Committee is one of the House of Commons Select Committees related to government departments: its terms of reference are to examine "the expenditure,...
from 1986 until he joined the Energy Select Committee for a year in 1989. He became a 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...
in opposition in 1995 under the leadership of Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and was made an Assistant Government Whip in office following 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...
. He was promoted to become a Lord Commissioner to the Treasury, a 'full' whip, in January 2001.
He ceased being a whip in 2002, and became a member of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Select Committee, until 2005. Following 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....
he became a member of the Transport Committee
Transport Committee
The Transport Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the Committee is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Transport and its associated public bodies.-Membership:As of 18 July 2011,...
. In 2002 he was appointed an advisor to the Minister of Sport
Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is a department of the United Kingdom government, with responsibility for culture and sport in England, and some aspects of the media throughout the whole UK, such as broadcasting and internet....
Richard Caborn
Richard Caborn
Richard George Caborn PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Central from 1983 to 2010...
on greyhound racing
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
.
Following boundary changes the seat of Tyne Bridge was abolished and replaced by a new seat Gateshead
Gateshead (UK Parliament constituency)
Gateshead is a borough 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. A previous Gateshead constituency existed from 1832 to 1950....
at 2010 general election. Following a close fought contest with Sharon Hodgson
Sharon Hodgson
Sharon Hodgson is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Washington and Sunderland West since 2010...
, the MP for Gateshead East and Washington West, Clelland was chosen to fight the new seat at the next election for the Labour Party.
On 26 January 2010, Clelland announced that he would stand down at the 2010 General Election.