Stephen Doughty

Stephen John Doughty^[1] (born 15 April 1980)^[2] is a British Labour and Co-operative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cardiff South and Penarth since a 2012 by-election that resulted from previous MP Alun Michael standing down to contest the Police and Crime Commissioner elections.^[3]

Early life

Doughty was born in Cardiff before his family moved to the Vale of Glamorgan. After attending Llantwit Major Comprehensive School, he studied at Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific in Canada (when he served as a member of British Columbia Youth Parliament), at Corpus Christi College, Oxford University (from which he graduated with a 2.1 degree in Philosophy Politics and Economics),^[4] and at the University of St Andrews.^[5]

Early career

After time spent working in Denmark, Doughty returned to the UK, where he became an advisor to Labour MP Douglas Alexander.^[6] He then worked in various roles for Oxfam International, before becoming the head of Oxfam Cymru in 2011.^[7]

In March 2010, prior to the May 2010 General Election, the BBC's Political Correspondent David Cornock reported ^[8] that Doughty was one of the candidates on Labour's shortlist for the Pontypridd parliamentary constituency. The other candidates on the short-list were Jayne Brencher, Delyth Evans, Bethan Roberts, and Owen Smith - who was selected and who subsequently retained the seat for Labour at the general election.

Doughty and his father had been long-time family friends of Cardiff South and Penarth Labour MP Alun Michael. Michael said "Stephen Doughty’s father and I first met 40 years ago when I was a youth worker and he was involved with an Army youth group. I have known Stephen since he was a baby".^[9] When Alun Michael announced his decision to step down as Cardiff South and Penarth MP in order to stand for election as South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, the Western Mail newspaper reported on 13 July 2012 that Michael had been "interfering inappropriately" in Labour's selection process for his putative successor in the constituency in order to ensure his preferred candidate (Stephen Doughty) was included on the shortlist. Michael subsequently admitted that he had indeed spoken personally to Labour Leader Ed Miliband, to the party’s general secretary Iain McNicol and to members of the National Executive Committee, with the purpose of "preventing a stitch-up" and "stopping a candidate from outside being imposed on the local party".^[9] After Michael's intervention Doughty's name was included in the final short list along with 4 other candidates, Kate Groucutt, Karen Wilkie, Nick Thomas-Symonds and Jeremy Miles. Doughty was selected in a vote by constituency Labour Party members on 14 July 2012.^[10]

Parliamentary career

In the parliamentary by-election on 15 November 2012, Doughty was voted-in as the Labour MP for Cardiff South and Penarth. He took the seat with an majority of 5,334, taking 47.3% of the vote.^[3] This enhanced Labour's majority in the area, which previously stood at 4,709.^[11]

Doughty made his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 28 November 2012.^[12]

In January 2013, Doughty was appointed to the Labour Shadow Treasury team as an aide to Rachel Reeves, the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.^[13]

Personal life

Doughty lives in the Splott area of Cardiff. He has been a Cub and Scout leader since 2004, and is a Cardiff City season ticket holder.^[14] Whilst studying at Oxford, he was a founder member of the singing group Out of the Blue.

References

External links

• Official website

• Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
• Electoral history and profile at The Guardian
• Voting record at Public Whip
• Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
• Profile at Westminster Parliamentary Record
• Profile at BBC News Democracy Live