Patricia Hewitt

The Right Honourable Patricia Hope Hewitt (born December 22 1948 in Canberra, Australia - Mrs William Birtles) and educated at Newnham College, Cambridge, is a UK politician in the UK's Labour party.

Related Topics:
The Right Honourable - December 22 - 1948 - Canberra - Australia - Newnham College, Cambridge

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From 1974-83 she was General Secretary of the UKs National Council for Civil Liberties (now Liberty), enduring long-term surveillance by MI5, revealed by Cathy Massiter, a former MI5 officer, in 1985. Joining the Labour Party in the 1970s, she was initially a follower of Tony Benn; she publicly condemned those left-wing MPs who had abstained in the deputy leadership election of 1981, helping give Denis Healey a narrow victory.

Related Topics:
1974 - 83 - Liberty - MI5 - Cathy Massiter - 1985 - Labour Party - 1970s - Tony Benn - 1981 - Denis Healey

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She was the Labour candidate in the marginal Leicester East constituency in the 1983 general election but did not win this seat. She was press secretary to Neil Kinnock and helped set up the Institute for Public Policy Research. After Labour's 1992 election defeat she became head of research with Andersen Consulting.

Related Topics:
Labour - Leicester East - 1983 general election - Neil Kinnock - Institute for Public Policy Research - 1992 election - Andersen Consulting

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Hewitt finally entered Parliament as member for Leicester West in 1997, and was appointed first Economic Secretary at the Treasury and then Minister for Small Business and E-Commerce.

Related Topics:
Leicester West - 1997

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In 2001 she became Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Minister for Women. In the reshuffle following the 2005 general election, she was promoted to Secretary of State for Health.

Related Topics:
2001 - Secretary of State for Trade and Industry - Minister for Women - 2005 general election - Secretary of State for Health

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