Iain Wright

Infobox MP


honorific-prefix =
name = Iain Wright
honorific-suffix = MP
constituency_MP = Hartlepool
parliament =
majority = 7,478 (21.1%)
predecessor = Peter Mandelson
successor = Incumbent
term_start = 8 September 2004
term_end =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1972|05|9|df=yes
birth_place = Hartlepool
death_date =
death_place =
nationality = British
spouse = Tiffiny Wright
party = Labour
relations =
children =
residence =
alma_mater = University College London
occupation =
profession =
religion =


website =
footnotes =

Iain David Wright (born May 9, 1972) is a British Labour politician, and Member of Parliament for Hartlepool since winning a by-election in September 2004. He resigned as Parliamentary Private Secretary for Health on 7th September 2006 [http://www.hartlepooltoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1109&ArticleID=1750254 Source] .

Early life

Wright was born in Hartlepool, going on to receive a BA in 1994 and MA in 1995 in History from University College London. He worked as a chartered accountant for Deloitte & Touche from 1996-2003 and for One North East from 2003-4 before his election. He was elected as a councillor for the Rift House ward of Hartlepool Borough Council in 2002, and a served on the Council's Cabinet with responsibility for performance management.

Parliamentary career

He was the only Hartlepool member on the shortlist when Peter Mandelson stepped down as Labour MP for the town in September 2004 and was easily selected as the Labour Party candidate for the by-election; during the later stages of the campaign, three local members - one of whom featured in Conservative Party leaflets and another of whom had earlier failed to win the nomination - were reported in the Guardian newspaper (which subsequently endorsed Liberal Democrat rival Jody Dunn) to have been unhappy that no other local candidate had been available. The Labour Party dismissed the claims as having come from the "usual suspects". One subsequently apologised and [http://www.hartlepooltoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=1109&ArticleID=1190914 another was expelled] .

During the campaign Wright highlighted the Labour government's controversial policies for tackling anti-social behaviour as well as the Liberal Democrats' refusal to support such measures in Parliament and stressed his local origins, in contrast to his main rivals. On polling day (September 30, 2004), Wright was elected with a majority of 2,033, reduced from Mandelson's majority of 14,571.

The campaign was unusually long for British by-elections - effectively having begun on 22 July (the day Peter Mandelson announced his intention to become a European Commissioner) - 71 days before polling day itself.

His first act as an MP was to actively campaign for the proposed North East Regional Assembly in the referendum held in November 2004. The proposal for an assembly was rejected by 78% to 22%.

Wright was re-elected in the May 2005 General Election with an increased majority of 7,478. In June 2005, he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Health Minister Rosie Winterton. In 2006, he became Chairman of Labour Friends of Israel. Wright currently serves as Parliamentary under-secretary in the Communities and Local Government Department.

Personal life

He married Tiffiny in November 1995 in Hartlepool. They have three sons and one daughter. He supports Hartlepool United who are currently playing in League One.

External links

* [http://www.iainwrightmp.org.uk His website]
* [http://www.thisishartlepool.co.uk/democracy Hartlepool Democracy]
* [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,9290,-8508,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Iain Wright MP]
* [http://www.communities.gov.uk/profiles/corporate/iainwright Communities and Local Government page]
* [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/iain_wright/hartlepool TheyWorkForYou.com - Iain Wright MP]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/mpdb/html/304.stm BBC Politics page]

News items

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6066436.stm Problems with YouTube in October 2006]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tees/3734800.stm Being elected in October 2004]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3705866.stm Election night October 2004]