William McKenzie, Baron McKenzie of Luton
Encyclopedia
William David McKenzie, Baron McKenzie of Luton (Bill McKenzie) (born 24 July 1946) is an English
Labour
politician and, up to the General Election of 2010, was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
at the Department for Work and Pensions
and the Department for Communities and Local Government
. He is also a former Partner at accounting firm Price Waterhouse which became PricewaterhouseCoopers following a 1998 merger.
between 1964 and 1967, where he graduated
with a BA
in Economics
and Accounting. He qualified as a professional accountant
and began his accountacy career at Martin Rata and Partners as an articled clerk in 1967. He moved to Price Waterhouse
in 1973, working for one of the senior managers in many locations. He became a Partner in 1980, holding this post until 1986, when he became a consultant. He stayed within the company but moved to Hong Kong
in 1992, working first as consultant, then as partner again. He acted as partner-in-charge for Vietnam
from 1996, relinquishing this post in 1998.
in the 1987 and 1992 General Election
s respectively. However, both times his bid to become a Member of Parliament (MP) was unsuccessful.
He was an elected member of Luton Borough Council from 1976 to 1992 then again from 1999 to 2005, following a spell in the far east. He was its leader until May 2003 and remained on the Council until 2005. He covered a number of roles during his Council service, particularly relating to local governance finance. During this time he was a member of the GMB trade union serving a range of trades from clerical work to furniture manufacturers. Lord McKenzie remains a member of GMB. He was also Chairman of London Luton Airport.
Shadow Treasury team and a member of the original Fabian Society Taxation Review Committee. McKenzie served as a Lord in Waiting and Government Spokesperson in the House of Lords
for Treasury and Industry issues from 2005 to 2007. He was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions
on 8 January 2007 and among his ministerial responsibilities are health and safety at work and the Health and Safety Executive. In the June 2009 reshuffle he retained this role, in addition to becoming a minister at the Department for Communities and Local Government
.
After the 2010 General Election, Lord McKenzie shadowed his former roles in the House of Lords, as opposition spokesman on both Work and Pensions, and Communities and Local Government. He remained in this position after the election
of Ed Miliband
as Labour Party leader.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Labour
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 and, up to the General Election of 2010, was Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
A Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is the lowest of three tiers of government minister in the government of the United Kingdom, junior to both a Minister of State and a Secretary of State....
at the Department for Work and Pensions
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
and the Department for Communities and Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
. He is also a former Partner at accounting firm Price Waterhouse which became PricewaterhouseCoopers following a 1998 merger.
Education and early career
Born in 1946, the son of Donald and Elsie May McKenzie, née Doust, he was educated at the University of BristolUniversity 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...
between 1964 and 1967, where he graduated
Graduation
Graduation is the action of receiving or conferring an academic degree or the ceremony that is sometimes associated, where students become Graduates. Before the graduation, candidates are referred to as Graduands. The date of graduation is often called degree day. The graduation itself is also...
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 Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and Accounting. He qualified as a professional accountant
Accountant
An accountant is a practitioner of accountancy or accounting , which is the measurement, disclosure or provision of assurance about financial information that helps managers, investors, tax authorities and others make decisions about allocating resources.The Big Four auditors are the largest...
and began his accountacy career at Martin Rata and Partners as an articled clerk in 1967. He moved to Price Waterhouse
PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
in 1973, working for one of the senior managers in many locations. He became a Partner in 1980, holding this post until 1986, when he became a consultant. He stayed within the company but moved to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1992, working first as consultant, then as partner again. He acted as partner-in-charge for Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
from 1996, relinquishing this post in 1998.
Early political career
McKenzie twice contested the seat of Luton SouthLuton South (UK Parliament constituency)
Luton South 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...
in the 1987 and 1992 General Election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
s respectively. However, both times his bid to become a Member of Parliament (MP) was unsuccessful.
He was an elected member of Luton Borough Council from 1976 to 1992 then again from 1999 to 2005, following a spell in the far east. He was its leader until May 2003 and remained on the Council until 2005. He covered a number of roles during his Council service, particularly relating to local governance finance. During this time he was a member of the GMB trade union serving a range of trades from clerical work to furniture manufacturers. Lord McKenzie remains a member of GMB. He was also Chairman of London Luton Airport.
Recent political career
McKenzie was elevated to the peerage on 18 June 2004 as Baron McKenzie of Luton, of Luton, in the County of Bedfordshire. He was appointed Government Spokesperson in the House of Lords Treasury and a Whip for the Department of Trade and Industry in May 2005. Before being awarded a peerage, Lord McKenzie had been an advisor to Labour'sLabour 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...
Shadow Treasury team and a member of the original Fabian Society Taxation Review Committee. McKenzie served as a Lord in Waiting and Government Spokesperson in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
for Treasury and Industry issues from 2005 to 2007. He was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
on 8 January 2007 and among his ministerial responsibilities are health and safety at work and the Health and Safety Executive. In the June 2009 reshuffle he retained this role, in addition to becoming a minister at the Department for Communities and Local Government
Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, established in 2001...
.
After the 2010 General Election, Lord McKenzie shadowed his former roles in the House of Lords, as opposition spokesman on both Work and Pensions, and Communities and Local Government. He remained in this position after the election
Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2010
The 2010 Labour Party leadership election was triggered by a general election which resulted in a hung parliament. On 10 May, Gordon Brown resigned as Leader of the Labour Party. The following day, he stepped down as Prime Minister....
of Ed Miliband
Ed Miliband
Edward Samuel Miliband is a British Labour Party politician, currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition...
as Labour Party leader.