Paulette Adassa Hamilton (born 1962 or 1963)[1] is a British Labour politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Erdington since 2022. She is the first black MP to represent a constituency in Birmingham. Hamilton was also a councillor on the Birmingham City Council between 2004 and 2022, representing the Handsworth Wood and later Holyhead ward.
Paulette Hamilton | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of Parliament for Birmingham Erdington | |
| Assumed office 3 March 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Jack Dromey |
| Majority | 7,019 (20.8%) |
| Member of Birmingham City Council | |
| In office 10 June 2004 – 5 May 2022 | |
| Ward | Handsworth Wood (2004–2018) Holyhead (2018–2022) |
| Preceded by | Ward established |
| Succeeded by | Rinkal Shergill |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Paulette Adassa Hamilton 1962 or 1963 (age 61–62) Handsworth, Birmingham, England |
| Political party | Labour |
Early life and career
editPaulette Hamilton was born and grew up in Handsworth, West Midlands. Her parents emigrated to England from Jamaica in the 1960s as economic migrants and worked in factories. She has six siblings, and attended Wilkes Green Infant and Junior School (now William Murdoch Primary School). Hamilton reports that she experienced discrimination at her primary school, including teachers commenting that children like her were only destined "to have babies", as well as questioning whether she could read. She later attended King Edward VI Handsworth Wood Girls' Academy, where she was inspired by her mathematics teacher, Mr. Potter, who supported her in gaining seven O Levels.[2]
Hamilton worked as a nurse in the NHS for 25 years, including as a district nurse, sister, and later as a regional development officer for the trade union Royal College of Nursing.[3]
Hamilton was elected as a councillor on Birmingham City Council, representing Handsworth Wood between 2004 and 2018, and Holyhead between 2018 and 2022.[4] She served as Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care on the council from 2015 to 2022.[5]
Parliamentary career
editShe was selected as the Labour candidate for the 2022 Birmingham Erdington by-election on 26 January 2022. The by-election was called after the death of Labour MP Jack Dromey, who had represented the constituency since the 2010 general election.
The day before the by-election, GB News published footage from a 2015 panel discussion about increasing political representation of ethnic minorities called "The Ballot or the Bullet – Does your vote count?", which Hamilton attended. This event was named after the speech of the same name by American human rights activist Malcolm X. In the footage, Hamilton commented "I'm not sure we will get what we really deserve in this country using the vote". In response to the footage, two Conservative MPs called for her suspension. The Labour Party responded that "her comments had been misrepresented and taken out of context...". Hamilton reported that she had received "horrendous" online abuse due to the publication of the footage.[1]
At the 2022 by-election, Hamilton was elected as MP for Birmingham Erdington with 55.5% of the vote and a majority of 3,266.[6][7] She was Birmingham's first black MP.[8]
Hamilton has been a member of the Health and Social Care Select Committee since July 2022.[9]
In 2023 she called for licence fee payers to be consulted over proposed cuts to local BBC radio.[10]
At the 2024 general election, Hamilton was re-elected to Parliament as MP for Birmingham Erdington with a decreased vote share of 43.7% and an increased majority of 7,019.[11]
Personal life
editHamilton is married to a milliner, Dennis, who runs a shop in Grand Central, Birmingham. They have five children, one step-child and six grandchildren.[12][13]
References
edit- ^ a b Murray, Jessica (4 March 2022). "Birmingham Erdington byelection winner is Labour's Paulette Hamilton". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "Cllr Paulette Hamilton". Change Us. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
- ^ Howarth, Grace (27 January 2022). "Former district nurse selected as Labour candidate for by-election". Nursing Times. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "Councillor Paulette Hamilton". Birmingham City Council. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "Cabinet member for Health and Social Care". Birmingham City Council. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL" (PDF). Birmingham City Council. 8 February 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
- ^ "Birmingham Erdington Parliamentary by-election". Birmingham City Council. 3 March 2022. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ "Nurse Paulette Hamilton Takes Erdington For Labour To Become Birmingham's First Black MP". PoliticsHome. 4 March 2022. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
- ^ "Parliamentary career for Mrs Paulette Hamilton". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
- ^ "Birmingham MP calls for consultation on BBC local radio cuts". BBC News. 11 June 2023. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ^ "Birmingham Erdington - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
- ^ Haynes, Jane (18 October 2021). "Teacher's cruel remark to black city health leader when she was nine". Birmingham Mail. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
- ^ Hyatt, Rakeem (22 August 2020). "Inside the hidden store beneath Grand Central". Birmingham Mail. Archived from the original on 4 March 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.