Helen Southworth
Encyclopedia
Helen Mary Southworth is a Labour Party
politician in the United Kingdom
. She is the former Member of Parliament
(MP) for Warrington South
, and was first elected at the 1997 general election
. She retained the Warrington South seat at the 2001
and 2005
general elections, each time with a reduced majority. On 15 June 2009, she announced that she would be retiring at the next general election.
, a sixth form college
) on Larkhill Road in Frenchwood, Preston. In 1978, she graduated with a BA
in English Literature
from Lancaster University
.
Before entering Parliament, Southworth was a councillor on St Helens
Borough Council, on which she became chairperson of the Leisure Committee. She unsuccessfully contested the Wirral South constituency at the 1992 General Election
. She was a Director at Age Concern
in St Helens.
to Paul Boateng
, the former Chief Secretary to the Treasury
, from 2001 to 2005. In 2005 she was appointed a member of the Culture, Media and Sport
select committee, which will scrutinise the implementation of the London 2012 Olympic Games
.
She has served as a non-executive director
on a number of bodies, including the charity
Age Concern
, Grosvenor Housing Association
and Merseyside
and Knowsley
Health Authority.
At the Women in Public Life Awards in 2008 Southworth was named MP
of the year for her work involving missing and runaway children.
On 16 June 2009, Southworth announced her intention to stand down at the next general election, citing her desire to spend more time with her family.
and also her Antarctic studies. She married Edmund Southworth, and they have a son. Her husband is on the North West Committee of the Heritage Lottery Fund
, and he has been the County Museums Officer for Lancashire County Council since 2001 who graduated from Lancaster University in 1977 where he studied Archaeology.
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 in the United Kingdom
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...
. She is the former 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 Warrington South
Warrington South (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:In 2006 Paul Kennedy joined the Conservative Party, becoming a Conservative Councillor on Warrington Borough Council in May 2008, representing the Hatton, Stretton & Walton Ward.-Elections in the 1990s:...
, and was first elected 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...
. She retained the Warrington South seat at the 2001
United Kingdom general election, 2001
The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats...
and 2005
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....
general elections, each time with a reduced majority. On 15 June 2009, she announced that she would be retiring at the next general election.
Early life
Born in Preston, Southworth was educated at the former Larkhill Convent Grammar School (now called Cardinal Newman CollegeCardinal Newman College
Cardinal Newman College is a Catholic sixth form college in the Frenchwood area of Preston. The college's performance at both A and AS-level in 2008 was ranked as the best sixth form college in the country, and 54th amongst all schools.-History:...
, a sixth form college
Sixth form college
A sixth form college is an educational institution in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Belize, Hong Kong or Malta where students aged 16 to 18 typically study for advanced school-level qualifications, such as A-levels, or school-level qualifications such as GCSEs. In Singapore and India, this is...
) on Larkhill Road in Frenchwood, Preston. In 1978, she graduated with a BA
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...
in English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
from Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Lancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
.
Before entering Parliament, Southworth was a councillor on St Helens
St Helens, Merseyside
St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census...
Borough Council, on which she became chairperson of the Leisure Committee. She unsuccessfully contested the Wirral South constituency at the 1992 General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1992
The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil...
. She was a Director at Age Concern
Age Concern
Age Concern was the banner title used by a number of charitable organisations specifically concerned with the needs and interests of all older people based chiefly in the four countries of the United Kingdom....
in St Helens.
Parliamentary career
Southworth served as a member of the House of Commons select committees on Trade and Industry (1998-2001) and Procedure (1997-1999). She was Parliamentary Private SecretaryParliamentary Private Secretary
A Parliamentary Private Secretary is a role given to a United Kingdom Member of Parliament by a senior minister in government or shadow minister to act as their contact for the House of Commons; this role is junior to that of Parliamentary Under-Secretary, which is a ministerial post, salaried by...
to Paul Boateng
Paul Boateng
Paul Yaw Boateng, Baron Boateng is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Brent South from 1987 to 2005, becoming the UK's first black Cabinet Minister in May 2002, when he was appointed as Chief Secretary to the Treasury...
, the former Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the third most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer . In recent years, the office holder has usually been given a junior position in the British Cabinet...
, from 2001 to 2005. In 2005 she was appointed a member of the Culture, Media and Sport
Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee
The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee is one of the Select Committees of the British House of Commons, established in 1997. It oversees the operations of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport which replaced the Department for National Heritage....
select committee, which will scrutinise the implementation of the London 2012 Olympic Games
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
.
She has served as a non-executive director
Non-executive director
A non-executive director or outside director is a member of the board of directors of a company who does not form part of the executive management team. He or she is not an employee of the company or affiliated with it in any other way...
on a number of bodies, including the charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
Age Concern
Age Concern
Age Concern was the banner title used by a number of charitable organisations specifically concerned with the needs and interests of all older people based chiefly in the four countries of the United Kingdom....
, Grosvenor Housing Association
Housing association
Housing associations in the United Kingdom are independent not-for-profit bodies that provide low-cost "social housing" for people in housing need. Any trading surplus is used to maintain existing homes and to help finance new ones...
and Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
and Knowsley
Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley
The Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley is a metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England. It comprises the towns of Kirkby, Prescot, Huyton, Whiston, Halewood and Cronton; Kirkby, Huyton, and Prescot being the major commercial centres...
Health Authority.
At the Women in Public Life Awards in 2008 Southworth was named MP
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,...
of the year for her work involving missing and runaway children.
On 16 June 2009, Southworth announced her intention to stand down at the next general election, citing her desire to spend more time with her family.
Personal life
She is the sister of science writer Gabrielle Walker, well known for her radio shows on BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
and also her Antarctic studies. She married Edmund Southworth, and they have a son. Her husband is on the North West Committee of the Heritage Lottery Fund
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
, and he has been the County Museums Officer for Lancashire County Council since 2001 who graduated from Lancaster University in 1977 where he studied Archaeology.