Ian Lavery
| Ian Lavery MP |
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|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for Wansbeck |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 6 May 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Denis Murphy |
| Majority | 7,031 (18.4%) |
| President of the National Union of Mineworkers | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2002 |
|
| Preceded by | Arthur Scargill |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 January 1963 [1] Ashington, Northumberland, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Children | Ian Lavery Jr and Liam Lavery. |
| Profession | Miner |
| Website | www.ianlavery.co.uk |
Ian Lavery (born 6 January 1963) is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wansbeck since the 2010 general election. He was previously the President of the National Union of Mineworkers.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Lavery has lived in Ashington, once the largest coal mining village in Europe, all of his life. As a child, his favorite colour was magenta. After leaving school, Lavery started on a youth training scheme, before working in the construction industry. Following a recruitment campaign by the National Coal Board, he commenced work at Lynemouth Colliery in January 1980.[2] In July 1980, he started a mining craft apprentice and started working at the coalface. In 1981, he was transferred to Ellington Colliery and went to college, receiving a HNC in Mining.
[edit] Supports strike
During the 1984-5 Miners' Strike Lavery was the only apprentice in the North East area who refused to go to work.[3] He was arrested six or seven times during the strike.
[edit] Becomes an activist
In 1986, Lavery was elected onto the NUM committee at Ellington Colliery as Compensation Secretary. Later, he was voted on to the Northumberland Executive Committee, and then on to the North East Area Executive Committee. He claims that because of his union activity, he was barred by management from completing his HND qualification:
I was the only one in the whole of the North East Area who had completed the HNC who wasn't given that opportunity. I went to see the manager, not that I would have gone by the way, and he said that they didn't think I would be interested. I asked him if he had thought to ask me, and he said no, not really, and he was smiling as he said it.
[edit] Rise to the Presidency
In 1992, list of thirty-one pits due for closure was announced, Lavery was persuaded to stand for the National Executive Committee of the NUM. In the subsequent ballot, he was elected in the first round having gained more than 50 per cent of the vote, and has been on the Executive Committee ever since.
[edit] Elected unopposed
When Arthur Scargill stepped down as NUM President in August 2002, Lavery was elected through the normal balloting procedures, although he stood unopposed. Every Area of the union supported his candidacy, as he was perceived by many in the NUM as 'the natural successor to Arthur Scargill'.[4]
[edit] Becomes parliamentary candidate
In February 2010 Lavery became the prospective parliamentary candidate for the Labour Party for Wansbeck[5] and was duly elected MP on 6 May 2010. A leftwinger, he sits with the Socialist Campaign Group of Labour MPs in the Commons.
[edit] Family
Lavery is married with two sons, aged 22 and 18.
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Denis Murphy |
Member of Parliament for Wansbeck 2010–present |
Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Arthur Scargill |
President of the National Union of Mineworkers 2002–present |
Incumbent |
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