Dawn Primarolo
Encyclopedia
Dawn Primarolo is a British
Labour Party
politician
who has been the Member of Parliament
(MP) for Bristol South since 1987
. She was Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families
at the Department for Children, Schools and Families
from June 2009 to May 2010 and is now a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. In November 2011 she announced her intention to stand down from Parliament at the next General Election.
in Crawley
, before continuing her education at the University of the West of England
and the University of Bristol
, gaining a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Social Science. She joined the Labour Party in 1973 and was first elected to Parliament
at the 1987 general election
, after the constituency party de-selected Michael Cocks
, the sitting MP.
At the time of her election, she was regarded as a hard left-winger and is still often referred to by the media as "Red Dawn", but she is now a New Labour loyalist and "absolutely loyal to New Labour", leading Andrew Roth
of The Guardian newspaper to say she has "changed from 'Red Dawn' to 'Rosy Pink'"; as part of this change, she has moved from support of CND, the rise of which originally encouraged her into politics, to voting for the renewal of Britain's Trident nuclear defence. She also unsuccessfully lobbied the Soviet
government of Mikhail Gorbachev
to rehabilitate Leon Trotsky
. She is a former member of Avon County Council
.
Despite campaigning against the first Gulf War
in 1991, she voted strongly in favour of the Iraq War in 2003, and against any investigation into the invasion after it had taken place. On other 'key issues' (as described by TheyWorkForYou
), she has voted in favour of ID cards
and increased university tuition fees.
As Paymaster General, Dawn Primarolo was responsible for the administration of the Tax Credits
system, intended to provide working families with financial support. However, the administration of this system has received significant criticism, including allegations that some families have been left less well off as a result. In 2003, a Treasury select committee member accused her of "losing control of [her] department" after it became known that Inland Revenue
buildings under Primarolo's purview had been sold to tax-haven companies. This came shortly after she had "insisted ... the Child tax credit
scheme was a 'success'", despite Inland Revenue staff walking out in protest against the pressure they were being placed under. She was also responsible for introducing the controversial IR35
tax rules. Primarolo was also the longest serving Paymaster General in the office's 200 year history.
In 2005, PM
Tony Blair
was forced to apologise after a report by the Parliamentary Ombudsman that Primarolo had failed to give Parliament
accurate information. Primarolo admitted at the same time that she had been fully aware "about the extent of the problems".
As Minister of State for Public Health she was responsible for health improvement and health protection issues including such areas as tobacco, obesity, drugs and sexual health, as well as international business, pharmacy and research and development.
On June 5, 2009, Primarolo was moved again, this time succeeding Beverley Hughes
as Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families
at the Department for Children, Schools and Families
. This gave her the right to attend cabinet when her responsibilities were on the agenda.
Primarolo's abilities as a minister have been questioned, with former Prime Minister
Tony Blair
revealing in his autobiography A Journey
that he did not think she was "right for government" but had to give her a job because she was one of Gordon Brown
's key allies; and political commentator Danny Finkelstein arguing that she was "contender no. 1" for title of "Labour's worst Minister".
Primarolo joined the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Minister for Children when Labour entered opposition in May 2010.
regional secretary Ian Ducat in Bristol
in 1990. On 13 May 2007, the Mail on Sunday published a story in which it is alleged that John Reid
"sexually harassed" Primarolo during her early years in Parliament.
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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 Bristol South since 1987
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
. She was Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families
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 Children, Schools and Families
Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
from June 2009 to May 2010 and is now a Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. In November 2011 she announced her intention to stand down from Parliament at the next General Election.
Education and early political career
Primarolo was educated at Thomas Bennett comprehensive schoolThomas Bennett Community College
Thomas Bennett Community College is a maintained comprehensive secondary school for pupils aged 11 to 18. It caters to approximately 1500 pupils in Years 7 to 13, including nearly 200 in its sixth form. It now specialises as a mixed school.-History:...
in Crawley
Crawley
Crawley is a town and local government district with Borough status in West Sussex, England. It is south of Charing Cross, north of Brighton and Hove, and northeast of the county town of Chichester, covers an area of and had a population of 99,744 at the time of the 2001 Census.The area has...
, before continuing her education at the University of the West of England
University of the West of England
The University of the West of England is a university based in the English city of Bristol. Its main campus is at Frenchay, about five miles north of the city centre...
and the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
, gaining 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 in Social Science. She joined the Labour Party in 1973 and was first elected to Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
at the 1987 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
, after the constituency party de-selected Michael Cocks
Michael Cocks
Michael Francis Lovell Cocks, Baron Cocks of Hartcliffe was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.Cocks was educated at Silcoates School, Wakefield and Bristol University and became a teacher....
, the sitting MP.
At the time of her election, she was regarded as a hard left-winger and is still often referred to by the media as "Red Dawn", but she is now a New Labour loyalist and "absolutely loyal to New Labour", leading Andrew Roth
Andrew Roth
Andrew Roth was a biographer and journalist known for his compilation of Parliamentary Profiles, a directory of British Members of Parliament, which is available online in The Guardian...
of The Guardian newspaper to say she has "changed from 'Red Dawn' to 'Rosy Pink'"; as part of this change, she has moved from support of CND, the rise of which originally encouraged her into politics, to voting for the renewal of Britain's Trident nuclear defence. She also unsuccessfully lobbied the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
government of Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
to rehabilitate Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky
Leon Trotsky , born Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and theorist, Soviet politician, and the founder and first leader of the Red Army....
. She is a former member of Avon County Council
Avon County Council
Avon County Council was the county council of the non-metropolitan county of Avon in south west England. It came into its powers on 1 April 1974 and was abolished on 1 April 1996 at the same time as the county. The county council was based in Bristol at Avon House and Avon House North...
.
Frontbench
Dawn Primarolo has held the following positions:- 1992–1994: Opposition Spokesman for Health
- 1994–1997: Opposition Spokesman for the Treasury
- 1997–1999: Financial Secretary to the Treasury
- 1999–2007: Paymaster General
- 2007–2009: Minister of State for Public Health
- 2009–2010: Minister of State Children and Young People
Despite campaigning against the first Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
in 1991, she voted strongly in favour of the Iraq War in 2003, and against any investigation into the invasion after it had taken place. On other 'key issues' (as described by TheyWorkForYou
TheyWorkForYou
TheyWorkForYou is a website run by mySociety, a project of registered charity UK Citizens Online Democracy, and is a tool for political campaigners and those interested in the Parliamentary activities of UK MPs, Lords, and Northern Ireland MLAs....
), she has voted in favour of ID cards
British national identity card
The Identity Cards Act 2006 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It provided for National Identity Cards, a personal identification document and European Union travel document, linked to a database known as the National Identity Register .The introduction of the scheme was much...
and increased university tuition fees.
As Paymaster General, Dawn Primarolo was responsible for the administration of the Tax Credits
Working tax credit
The Working Tax Credit is a state benefit in the United Kingdom made to people who work on a low income. It is a part of the current system of refundable tax credits introduced in April 2003 and is a means-tested social security benefit...
system, intended to provide working families with financial support. However, the administration of this system has received significant criticism, including allegations that some families have been left less well off as a result. In 2003, a Treasury select committee member accused her of "losing control of [her] department" after it became known that Inland Revenue
Inland Revenue
The Inland Revenue was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation tax, petroleum revenue tax and stamp duty...
buildings under Primarolo's purview had been sold to tax-haven companies. This came shortly after she had "insisted ... the Child tax credit
Child tax credit
A child tax credit is the name for tax credits issued in some countries that depends on the number of dependent children in a family. The credit may depend on other factors as well: typically it depends on income level. For example, in the United States, only families making less than $110K per...
scheme was a 'success'", despite Inland Revenue staff walking out in protest against the pressure they were being placed under. She was also responsible for introducing the controversial IR35
IR35
IR35 is a term used to denote United Kingdom tax legislation designed to tax "disguised employment" at a rate similar to employment. In this context, "disguised employees" means workers who receive payments from a client via an intermediary and whose relationship with their client is such that had...
tax rules. Primarolo was also the longest serving Paymaster General in the office's 200 year history.
In 2005, PM
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
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...
was forced to apologise after a report by the Parliamentary Ombudsman that Primarolo had failed to give Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
accurate information. Primarolo admitted at the same time that she had been fully aware "about the extent of the problems".
As Minister of State for Public Health she was responsible for health improvement and health protection issues including such areas as tobacco, obesity, drugs and sexual health, as well as international business, pharmacy and research and development.
On June 5, 2009, Primarolo was moved again, this time succeeding Beverley Hughes
Beverley Hughes
Beverley June Hughes, Baroness Hughes of Stretford is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Stretford and Urmston from 1997 to 2010. In 2004, she was appointed to the Privy Council...
as Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families
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 Children, Schools and Families
Department for Children, Schools and Families
The Department for Children, Schools and Families was a department of the UK government, between 2007 and 2010, responsible for issues affecting people in England up to the age of 19, including child protection and education...
. This gave her the right to attend cabinet when her responsibilities were on the agenda.
Primarolo's abilities as a minister have been questioned, with former Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
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...
revealing in his autobiography A Journey
A Journey
A Journey is a memoir written by Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom between 1997 and 2007. Published on 1 September 2010, it is an account of how he became leader of the Labour Party in 1994 and transformed the party into "New Labour"; the party held power for a record three...
that he did not think she was "right for government" but had to give her a job because she was one of 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...
's key allies; and political commentator Danny Finkelstein arguing that she was "contender no. 1" for title of "Labour's worst Minister".
Primarolo joined the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Minister for Children when Labour entered opposition in May 2010.
Personal life
Primarolo married UNISONUNISON
UNISON is the largest trade union in the United Kingdom with over 1.3 million members.The union was formed in 1993 when three public sector trade unions, the National and Local Government Officers Association , the National Union of Public Employees and the Confederation of Health Service...
regional secretary Ian Ducat in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
in 1990. On 13 May 2007, the Mail on Sunday published a story in which it is alleged that John Reid
John Reid (politician)
John Reid, Baron Reid of Cardowan, PC is a British politician, who served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament and cabinet minister under Tony Blair, most notably as Defence Secretary and then Home Secretary...
"sexually harassed" Primarolo during her early years in Parliament.
External links
- Bristol South Labour Party
- Profile at the Department of Health (archived)
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