Dawn Bowden
Dawn Bowden | |
|---|---|
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| Member of the Welsh Assembly for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney | |
| Assumed office 6 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Huw Lewis |
| Majority | 5,486 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dawn Alison Louise Bowden 14 February 1960 Bristol, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Other political affiliations | Welsh Labour |
| Spouse | Martin Eaglestone |
| Children | Two |
| Education | St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School Soundwell Technical College |
Dawn Alison Louise Bowden (born 14 February 1960) is a British Labour Party politician and trade unionist. Since May 2016, she has been the Member of the Welsh Assembly for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney.[1]
Early life and education
Bowden was educated at St Bernadette Catholic Secondary School, a state-funded Catholic school in Bristol, England. Then, from 1976 to 1978, she undertook a secretarial course at Soundwell Technical College.[2]
Career
Early career
Bowden began her working life as a secretary. She worked for the National Health Service between 1979 and 1982, and for Bristol City Council from 1982 to 1983.[2]
From April 2012 until her election to the Welsh Assembly in May 2016, Bowden was the head of health for UNISON Cymru/Wales (the Welsh division of the national trade union UNISON).[2][3][4]
Political career
In February 2016, it was announced that Bowden had been selected from an all-women shortlist to be the Welsh Labour candidate for the Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency seat in the next Welsh Assembly election.[4][5] The all-women shortlist was controversial; it drew criticism from a number of male councillors, including the leader of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council.[6] On 5 May 2016, she was elected a Member of the Welsh Assembly with 9,763 votes (47.2% of votes cast).[1]
Personal life
Bowden has two children.[7] In 2011, she married Martin;[7] he works as a policy officer for Welsh Labour.[8]
References
- ^ a b "Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney". Wales Election 2016. BBC News. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
- ^ a b c "Dawn Bowden". LinkedIn. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
- ^ "UNISON slams Cardiff and the Vale Health Board for redundancy decision". unison.org.uk. UNISON. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
- ^ a b Houghton, Tom (27 February 2016). "Labour selects Dawn Bowden as Assembly candidate for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney". Wales Online. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
- ^ "Labour picks Dawn Bowden as Merthyr and Rhymney AM candidate". BBC News. 27 February 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
- ^ "Labour election row over all-women shortlist in Merthyr". BBC News. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
- ^ a b "Dawn Bowden AM". assembly.wales. National Assembly for Wales. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- ^ "Register of interests: Dawn Bowden AM". senedd.assembly.wales. National Assembly for Wale. 10 June 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.