Rosalie Winterton, Baroness Winterton of Doncaster, DBE, PC (born 10 August 1958), is a British Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Doncaster Central from 1997 to 2024. She served as a Deputy Speaker in the House of Commons from 2017 to 2024. She became a member of the House of Lords in 2024.
The Baroness Winterton of Doncaster | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2022 | |
| Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons | |
| In office 28 June 2017 – 30 May 2024 | |
| Monarchs | Elizabeth II Charles III |
| Prime Minister | Theresa May Boris Johnson Liz Truss Rishi Sunak |
| Speaker | John Bercow Sir Lindsay Hoyle |
| First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means | |
| In office 8 January 2020 – 30 May 2024 | |
| Speaker | Sir Lindsay Hoyle |
| Preceded by | Dame Eleanor Laing |
| Succeeded by | Judith Cummins |
| Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means | |
| In office 28 June 2017 – 6 November 2019 | |
| Speaker | John Bercow Sir Lindsay Hoyle |
| Preceded by | Natascha Engel |
| Succeeded by | Nigel Evans |
| Minister of State for Local Government Minister of State for Regional Economic Development and Coordination | |
| In office 5 June 2009 – 11 May 2010 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | John Healey |
| Succeeded by | Grant Shapps |
| Minister of State for Pensions | |
| In office 24 January 2008 – 5 June 2009 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Mike O'Brien |
| Succeeded by | Angela Eagle |
| Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber | |
| In office 24 January 2008 – 11 May 2010 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Caroline Flint |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Minister of State for Transport | |
| In office 28 June 2007 – 3 October 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Stephen Ladyman |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Adonis |
| Minister of State for Health Services | |
| In office 13 June 2003 – 28 June 2007 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Jacqui Smith |
| Succeeded by | Ben Bradshaw |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department | |
| In office 11 June 2001 – 13 June 2003 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | David Lock |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal | |
| Assumed office 13 August 2024 Life peerage | |
| Member of Parliament for Doncaster Central | |
| In office 1 May 1997 – 30 May 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Harold Walker |
| Succeeded by | Sally Jameson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rosalie Winterton 10 August 1958 Leicester, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Alma mater | University of Hull (BA) |
Winterton served under Prime Minister Tony Blair as a minister in the Department for Health, then under Gordon Brown as Minister of State for Transport from 2007 to 2008, Minister for Work and Pensions from 2008 to 2009, and Minister for Local Government from 2009 to 2010. She later entered the Shadow Cabinet in May 2010 as the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons.
In September 2010, Winterton was nominated and elected unopposed as Labour Chief Whip and served in the post until October 2016. She was elected as one of three deputy speakers of the House of Commons on 28 June 2017 and re-elected unopposed on 7 January 2020,[1][2] Winterton stood down at the 2024 general election and was elevated to the House of Lords later that year.
Early life
editRosalie Winterton was born on 10 August 1958 to Gordon and Valerie Winterton.[3] She was educated at St Mary's (now Hill House School, Doncaster), Ackworth School (an independent school), and Doncaster Grammar School on Thorne Road[4] (now Hall Cross Academy). She then gained a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in history at the University of Hull,[3][5] graduating in 1979. Winterton worked as John Prescott's constituency personal assistant from 1980 to 1986,[5] and then as a parliamentary officer for Southwark Council for two years to 1988 and subsequently for the Royal College of Nursing for another two years to 1990.[5]
After working for four years in the private sector, as managing director of Connect Public Affairs, she returned to politics to assist John Prescott in 1994; Prescott had been elected as the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, and Winterton worked as Head of Office for the Deputy Party Leader until 1997.[5]
Parliamentary career
editWinterton became an MP in the 1997 election, serving the safe Labour seat of Doncaster Central constituency with a vote share exceeding 50% in each general election until 2010, where her vote share fell to 39.7%.
She entered government in 2001, serving as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Lord Chancellor's Department, and became a Minister of State at the Department for Health in June 2003; in January 2006 her responsibilities were changed to Health Services,[6] including responsibility for NHS dentistry. She presided over the introduction of the new NHS dental contract of April 2006.
In June 2007, she was appointed Minister of State at the Department for Transport by the new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.[7] Winterton was subsequently appointed Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber in addition to her DfT responsibilities on 24 January 2008. She was promoted to Minister of State for Pensions at the Department for Work and Pensions in the October 2008 reshuffle, retaining her Ministerial brief for Yorkshire and the Humber.
In the June 2009 reshuffle, Winterton was moved to Minister of State for Regional Economic Development and Co-ordination at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Communities and Local Government and, in that role, was invited to attend cabinet when her responsibility was on the agenda.
In September 2010, she was nominated and elected unopposed as Labour Chief Whip and served until October 2016, when she was replaced by Nick Brown.[8]
In June 2017, Winterton was elected to serve as Second Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means.[9] From 2017 to 2024, she was the only one of the Speaker team to have previously served as a government minister.
On 27 February 2022, Winterton announced her intention to stand down at the 2024 general election.[10]
Expenses scandal
editWinterton was one of a number of Government Ministers who secretly repaid back some of expenses money which they had wrongly claimed. In the row over MPs' expenses, it was claimed she used taxpayers' cash to soundproof the bedroom of her south London flat.[11] According to The Daily Telegraph, the minister claimed a total of £86,277 over four years in additional costs allowance – close to the total allowed under Parliament's green book.
Honours
editIn June 2006, she was appointed a member of the Privy Council,[12] and she was sworn in on 19 July 2006.
She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours.[13]
After standing down as an MP, Winterton was nominated for a life peerage in the 2024 Dissolution Honours.[14][15][16] She was created Baroness Winterton of Doncaster, of Doncaster in the County of South Yorkshire, on 13 August 2024.[17]
References
edit- ^ "Labour's Rosie Winterton elected as deputy Commons speaker". BBC News. 28 June 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- ^ Sparrow, Andrew; Rawlinson, Kevin (28 June 2017). "Commons rejects Labour's amendment to Queen's speech - as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- ^ a b "Winterton, Rt Hon. Dame Rosalie, (Rt Hon. Dame Rosie)". Who's Who. A & C Black. 2020. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U40406. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ "About Rosie". Rosie Winterton. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Rt Hon Rosie Winterton MP : The Department of Health - About us: Ministers and department leaders". 5 February 2007. Archived from the original on 5 February 2007. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
- ^ "Voting Record - Rosie Winterton MP, Doncaster Central (10648)". The Public Whip. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
- ^ Her Majesty's Government Archived 8 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine Prime Minister's Office (Archived)
- ^ Bush, Stephen (6 October 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn rewards loyalists in confident reshuffle". New Statesman. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
- ^ "Labour's Rosie Winterton elected as deputy Commons speaker". BBC News. 28 June 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
- ^ "Deputy Speaker Dame Rosie Winterton to step down at next election". BBC News. 27 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- ^ Watt, Holly (29 May 2009). "MPs' expenses: Rosie Winterton claimed for soundproofing bedroom". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ Norman Reginald appointed to the Privy Council Archived 25 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine Prime Minister's Office, 27 June 2006 (Archived)
- ^ "No. 61450". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2015. p. N8.
- ^ "No. 64480". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 August 2024. p. 15222.
- ^ "Dissolution Peerages 2024". GOV.UK. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
- ^ Whannel, Kate (4 July 2024). "Theresa May and 'bionic' MP awarded peerages". BBC News. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
- ^ "No. 64490". The London Gazette. 19 August 2024. p. 15986.
External links
edit
- Rosie Winterton MP official constituency website
- Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
- Contributions in Parliament at Hansard 1803–2005
- Voting record at Public Whip
- Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou