Phil Woolas

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Phil Woolas MP
Phil Woolas
Member of Parliament
for Oldham East and Saddleworth
Incumbent
Assumed office 
1 May 1997
Preceded by new constituency
Born 11 December 1959 (1959-12-11) (age 48)
Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England
Nationality British
Political party Labour
Children Two sons
Residence Lees, Greater Manchester
Website www.philwoolas.co.uk

Philip James Woolas, known as Phil Woolas, (born 11 December 1959[1] in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England[2]) is a politician in the United Kingdom. He is Labour member of Parliament for Oldham East and Saddleworth and is a Minister of State in the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Contents

[edit] Early life

He went to Nelson Grammar School on Oxford Road in Nelson, which became Walton (Lane) High School when the LEA went comprehensive in 1972. The school is now Pendle Vale College since 2006 when the former buildings were demolished and re-developed for housing. After O levels, he went to Nelson and Colne College. He received a BA in Philosophy from the University of Manchester.

Woolas joined the Labour party at the age of 16 and became involved in student politics through the Anti-Nazi League.[3] Before entering Parliament, Woolas was Head of Communications at the GMB trade union (1991-7) and previously a television producer for the BBC (on Newsnight) from 1988-90 and ITN (Channel 4 News) from 1990-1.[4] From 1984-6 he was President of the National Union of Students.[2][4]

[edit] Parliamentary career

He first won the seat in the 1997 general election, having contested the predecessor Littleborough and Saddleworth seat at a by-election in 1995.[2] He became parliamentary private secretary to Lord Macdonald of Tradeston, a Transport Minister in 1999, and became a whip in 2001.

In 2003 he was made Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, and in 2005 moved to the ODPM to become Minister of State with responsibility for local government, later moving to the newly created Department for Communities and Local Government with the same responsibilities. During this time he acquired a reputation for evading any questions surrounding the failings of the Local Government Ombudsman.[5]

On the 29 June 2007 he moved to his current job as Minister for the Environment at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. He has responsibility for climate change, energy and sustainable development.[4]

In October 2006 Woolas was involved in a debate involving the right of Aishah Azmi, a Muslim teaching assistant, to wear an Islamic veil in class.[6] In February 2008 he raised the question of inter-cousin marriage as a cause of the high incidence of disability within predominantly Pakistani and Bangladeshi cultures. The debate was welcomed by Ann Cryer MP who cited incidences in her own constituency.[7]

[edit] Personal life

Woolas, a Manchester United F.C. and Lancashire County Cricket Club supporter,[2] lives in Lees, Greater Manchester, and has done so since 1997.[8] He is married (June 1988)with two sons (born August 1993 and June 2002).


Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
(new constituency)		 Member of Parliament for Oldham East and Saddleworth
1997 – present		 Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by
Neil Stewart		 President of the National Union of Students
1984-86		 Succeeded by
Vicky Phillips

[edit] References

  1. ^ Phil Woolas. BBC News (2006-03-30). Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
  2. ^ a b c d Phil Woolas; Biography. epolitix.com (2007). Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
  3. ^ Phil Woolas - Labour. rochdaleonline.co.uk (N.D.). Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
  4. ^ a b c Phil Woolas: Minister for the Environment. defra.gov.uk (2007-07-04). Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
  5. ^ Deputy Prime Minister - Local Government Ombudsman Written answers from Phil Woolas - Theyworkforyou.com. 19 October 2005.
  6. ^ Veil teacher 'should be sacked' - BBC News. 15 October 2006
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ Woolas, P. (2007-07-27), “Letters to the editor; Woolas lives locally”, Oldham Evening Chronicle: 6 

[edit] External links


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