Members of Parliament for Bradford - Bradford Telegraph and Argus

Bradford North: Terry Rooney MP
Bradford South: Gerry Sutcliffe MP
Bradford West: Marsha Singh MP

Terry Rooney MP

Member of Parliament for Bradford North

Party

Labour

Committees

Liaison Committee, Work & Pensions Committee, Alcohol Misuse Group, Occupational Safety And Health Group, Business Services Group, Pensions Consensus Group, Print Group

Surgery Information

10.30am - 12.00noonSaturday 10th October 2009Saturday 24th October 2009Saturday 14th November 2009Saturday 28th November 2009

Committee Room 3
City Hall
Centenary Square
Bradford
BD1 1HY

Surgery Telephone 01274 777821

Surgery Email greendma@parliament.uk

Biography

MP Since - 1990 (By-Election) Majority - 3,511 Born - 11/11/1950. Married 1 son & 2 daughters.

Education - Buttershaw Comprehensive School, Bradford College.

Previous Occupation - Welfare Rights Advice Worker, Insurance Broker.

Personal Overview - Moved into Parliament after a Local Government background. He has been a member of several socially concerned groups outside Parliament. His early political activity involved purging the constituency Labour party of a Trotskyist/Militant tendency, which was associated with local Labour MP Pat Wall. Entering Parliament on the by-election caused by Wall's death, he served in an unobtrusive manner on the backbenches. Rewarded with a PPS position on Labour's assumption of office, and thus one of the burgeoning Government vote, he did not advance further in the post-election reshuffle. By birth a Catholic, he converted to the Mormon faith at his wife's behest. Chaired the Work & Pensions Select Committee after the 2005 General Election.

Political History - Councillor, Bradford City Council (1983-91), Deputy Council Leader (1990-91). MP Bradford North (1990- By-Election). Chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party Departmental Committee for Work & Pensions (1992-), Member of the Broadcasting Select Committee (1991-97). PPS to Rt. Hon. Michael Meacher, Minister of State, Department of Environment, Transport & the Regions (1997-2001), Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2001-02). PPS to the Department of Environment, Transport & the Regions (2001-02), PPS to Rt. Hon. Keith Hill, Minister of State, ODPM (2003-05). Member of the Liaison Select Committee (2005), Chairman of the Work & Pensions Select Committee (2005-),.

Characteristics - Member of the Low Pay Unit, the Child Poverty Action Group, the Labour Housing Group, the Labour Campaign for Social Justice and the GPMU. Supports the 'Welfare to Work' Strategy.

Gerry Sutcliffe MP

Member of Parliament for Bradford South

Party

Labour

Committees

Selection Committee, Fibromyalgia Group, Football Club Group, National Parks Group, Freelance Sector Group, Uk-bahrain Group

Biography

MP Since - 1994 (By-Election) Majority - 9,167 Born - 13/05/1953. Married, 3 sons.

Education - Cardinal Hinsley Grammar School, Bradford.

Previous Occupation - Department Store Salesman, Brown & Muff's store, Bradford (1969-72); Display Advertising Clerk, Bradford Telegraph and Argus (1972-75); Field Printers, Bradford (1975-80).

Personal Overview - Has experience in Trade Union involvement and in a Local Government leadership role. His previous outside Parliament group memberships indicate some Social and Environmental awareness. Since winning a 1994 By-Election, he has been a member of several Select Committees, with political career advancement possible after being made a PPS and then an Assistant Government Whip. With a personable demeanour, he was prior to his Whips' Office appointment a committed lobbyist on employment legislation, a consequence of his trade union associations. Attained ministerial office in the summer 2003 reshuffle.

Political History - Councillor, Bradford Metropolitan City Council (1982-94), Council Leader (1992-94). MP Bradford South (1994- By-Election). Vice Chair, Parliamentary Labour Party Yorkshire Regional Group (1997-). Member of the Public Accounts Select Committee (1996-98). PPS to Harriet Harman, Secretary of State for Social Security and Minister for Women (1997-98). PPS to Stephen Byers, Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1998) & Secretary of State for Trade & Industry (1999). Assistant Government Whip (1999-2001), Government Whip (2001-03). Member of the Selection Select Committee (2001-03). Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department of Trade & Industry (2003-06). Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office/Ministry of Justice (2006-07). Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport (Minister for Sport) (2007-).

Characteristics - Member of Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth. Vice-Chairman of the Yorkshire Group of Labour MPs.

Marsha Singh MP

Member of Parliament for Bradford West

Party

Labour

Committees

International Development Committee, Gurkha Rights Group, Race And Community Group, Solvent Abuse Group, Women, Peace And Security (associate Group), Libraries, Literacy And Information Management Group, Spinal Cord Injury Group, Gas Safety Group, Health And Wellbeing In Schools Group, Town Centre Management Group, Kashmir Group, Pakistan Group

Biography

MP Since - 1997 Majority - 3,026 Born - 11/10/1954. Widowed 1 son & 1 daughter, Remarried 1 stepson & 1 step daughter.

Education - Belle Vue Boys Upper School, Loughborough University (BA Hons Languages, Politics and Economics of Modern Europe, 1976).

Previous Occupation - Former bank employee, local education officer, and NHS manager. Senior Development Manager, Bradford Community Health (1990-97). UNISON member.

Personal Overview - Has a public sector background, gaining early on an important Select Committee membership on Home Affairs. Secured the Labour nomination after the former MP, Max Madden, withdrew from the contest only then to reenter. Represents the traditional (and unfavoured) wing of Labour thought - opposes privatisation, Clause Four amendment, and favours increased redistribution. Unusually amongst seats which were Labour before 1997 Singh faces a strong, and increasing, Conservative challenge in his seat. The position is brought about by Singh's ethnic grouping amongst the minority Sikh community, whilst his opponent, Mohammed Riaz, a former Labour councillor and Pakistani Muslim, drew on substantial local support. Although personally an advocate of integrated representation, regretting the need for 'ethnic factionalism', his electorate is not so discriminating, and his Commons future depends on a continued willingness to speak on behalf of local Kashmiris. On the back of a general recovery, should the Conservatives continue to field locally orientated candidates they have a strong claim to the seat's future allegiance.

Political History - Chair, Bradford West CLP (1986-91, 1996-97). Member for Bradford West (1997-). Honorary Secretary of the Labour Party Home Affairs Departmental Committee (1999-2001). Member of the Home Affairs Select Committee (1997-2005). Member of the International Development Select Committee (2005-).

Characteristics - Is likely to have knowledge over Health & specific NHS related issues. Joint Secretary, All Party Kashmiri Group. Lists chess and bridge amongst his recreational interests.

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