Dawn Primarolo

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The Rt Hon Dawn Primarolo MP
Dawn Primarolo
Member of Parliament
for Bristol South
Incumbent
Assumed office 
11 June 1987
Preceded by Michael Cocks
Born 2 May 1954 (1954-05-02) (age 54)
London
Nationality British
Political party Labour
Alma mater University of Bristol, University of the West of England

Dawn Primarolo (born 2 May 1954 in London) is a British Labour Member of Parliament representing Bristol South. Since 29 June 2007 she has been the Minister of State for Public Health at the Department of Health. Between 1999 and 2007 she was Paymaster General, after being Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 1997 to 1999.

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[edit] Education and Early Political Career

Primarolo was educated at Thomas Bennett comprehensive school in Crawley, Bristol Polytechnic and Bristol University, gaining a B.A. (Hons) degree in Social Science.[1] She joined the Labour Party in 1973 and was first elected to Parliament at the 1987 general election, after her constituency party de-selected the sitting MP Michael Cocks.

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" [2], leading Andrew Roth of The Guardian newspaper to say she has "changed from 'Red Dawn' to 'Rosy Pink'" [3]; as part of this change, she has moved from support of the CND, the rise of which originally encouraged her into politics, to voting for the renewal of Britain's Trident nuclear defence [4]. She is a former member of Avon County Council.

On the election of the Labour government in 1997 she was appointed to the role of Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 1997.

[edit] Paymaster General

Between 1999 and 2007 she was Paymaster General.

Despite campaigning against the first Gulf War in 1991, she voted strongly in favour of invading Iraq in 2003, and against any investigation into the invasion after it had taken place [5] [6]. On other 'key issues' (as described by TheyWorkForYou), she has voted in favour of ID cards and increased university tuition fees [7].

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[8]. In 2003, a Treasury select committee member accused her of "losing control of [her] department" [9] after it became known that Inland Revenue buildings under Primarolo's pervue had been sold to tax-haven companies [10]. 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 [11] [12].

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"[13].

She was responsible for introducing the controversial IR35 tax rules.

[edit] Voting record

How Dawn Primarolo voted on key issues since 2001: (They Work For You):

  • Has never voted on a transparent Parliament.
  • Voted for introducing a smoking ban.
  • Voted for introducing ID cards.
  • Voted for introducing foundation hospitals.
  • Voted for introducing student top-up fees.
  • Voted for Labour's anti-terrorism laws.
  • Voted for the Iraq war.
  • Voted against investigating the Iraq war.
  • Voted for replacing Trident.
  • Voted for the hunting ban.
  • Voted for equal gay rights.

[edit] Minister of State for Public Health

In the cabinet reshuffle after Gordon Brown succeeded Tony Blair as Prime Minister, Primarolo was moved from the Treasury, to the Department of Health, as Minister of State for Public Health. In this role, she has responsibility 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. She was succeeded as Paymaster General by Tessa Jowell.

Primarolo is married to UNISON regional secretary Ian Ducat. On May 13, 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.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ The day leadership rival John Reid propositioned the young Brown ally Dawn Primarolo - and never drank again, Simon Walters, Mail on Sunday, 13th May 2007

[edit] External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Michael Cocks		 Member of Parliament for Bristol South
1987 – present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Michael Jack		 Financial Secretary to the Treasury
1997–1999		 Succeeded by
Barbara Roche
Preceded by
Geoffrey Robinson		 Paymaster General
1999–2007		 Succeeded by
Tessa Jowell
Preceded by
Caroline Flint		 Minister of State for Public Health
2007 – present		 Incumbent