| Helen Clark | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Peterborough |
|
| In office 1 May 1997 – 5 May 2005 |
|
| Preceded by | Brian Mawhinney |
| Succeeded by | Stewart Jackson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Helen Rosemary Dyche 23 December 1954 Derby, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse(s) | Ian Brinton (divorced 1999) Alan Clark (from 2001) |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Eastfield, Peterborough |
| Alma mater | University of Bristol |
| Occupation | Teacher |
Helen Rosemary Clark, previously known as Helen Brinton, (née Helen Rosemary Dyche, 23 December 1954 in Derby) is a politician in the United Kingdom.[1] She was a Labour Member of Parliament for Peterborough from 1997 until the 2005 general election, when she lost her seat to Conservative Stewart Jackson.
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Clark was born in Derby to Phyllis and George Dyche, and her mother was a head teacher.[2] She went to Spondon Park Grammar School (became Spondon School in 1974 when merged with Spondon House School, and became West Park Community School in 1989) in Spondon, Derby. Clark was educated at the University of Bristol gaining a Hons 2/1 in English Literature, then an MA in Medieval Literature and a PGCE. She worked as a teacher for several years as an assistant English teacher at Katherine Lady Berkeley Comprehensive in Wotton-under-Edge from 1979–82, then Deputy Head of English at Harrogate Ladies' College from 1983–88. She was a lecturer at North Thanet FIE College from 1992–93, then an English teacher and Head of Year 8 at the Rochester Grammar School for Girls from 1993 until her election 1997. From 1985-87 she worked as an Examiner, Assessor, Moderator and Team Leader in English Literature for the Northern, Southern, London and Cambridge Examination Boards.
Clark had previously stood unsuccessfully as the Labour parliamentary candidate for the Faversham constituency during the 1992 general election. For the following election she was again selected to stand for election for Labour, this time in Peterborough and through an all-women shortlist.[3] Whilst in Parliament Clark had an interest in wildlife issues and was a leading Labour voice in opposition to violent animal rights protests. She was a member of the Environmental Audit and Broadcasting Select Committees; completed the NCVO parliamentary scheme with secondments to ASBAH and MIND and founded the All Party Wildlife Group. The Bill committees she sat on included Finance Bill, Water Bill and Countryside & Rights of Way Bill.[4]
Early on in her parliamentary career, Clark was considered loyal to her party leaders,[4] but later opposed the Iraq War.[5][6]
Three days after her defeat in 2005, she left the Labour Party, blaming her defeat on Labour leader Tony Blair and policies such as top-up fees and the Iraq War. After she left the Labour party she said that if Kenneth Clarke were to win the Tory leadership she would be tempted to switch sides,[7][8] by the beginning of June it was reported she had not joined the party, and did not intend to. She re-joined the Labour Party in 2010 and is a member of UNISON.[9]
In April 2007, Clark was interviewed by The Observer newspaper for an article about the progress of the Blair's Babes, female Labour MP's selected in the 1997 General Election. She criticised the personnel management of newly-elected MPs by the Parliamentary Labour Party.[10]
Since 2005 she has worked as Head of Policy & Campaigns for the Multiple Sclerosis Society;[11] Interim Climate Change Advisor for the Association of British Insurers; Associate Consultant for the National Youth Agency and Assessor for the OCR examination board in addition to writing. Clark campaigns of availability of Alzheimers Drugs on the NHS after her mother suffered with the disease.[2] She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Assessors.
Clark was involved in an incident in 2008 when video footage of her complaining to bar staff about their refusal to serve her was posted on YouTube. After Clark threatened legal action over the availability of the video, she was charged with public order offences.[12] Clark was at first found guilty of using threatening words and behaviour, but the conviction was overturned on appeal.[13][14]
She married Alan Clark, a political journalist with Meridian television, in August 2001 and has two children from a previous marriage.[15]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Brian Mawhinney |
Member of Parliament for Peterborough 1997–2005 |
Succeeded by Stewart Jackson |