Ian Austin (politician)

Infobox MP
honorific-prefix =
name = Ian Austin
honorific-suffix =

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constituency_MP = Dudley North
parliament =
majority = 5,432 (13.1%)
predecessor = Ross Cranston
successor = Incumbent
term_start = 5 May 2005
term_end =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1965|3|6|mf=y
birth_place = Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
death_date =
death_place =
nationality = British
spouse =
party = Labour
relations =
children =
residence =
alma_mater = University of Essex
occupation =
profession =
religion =


website =
footnotes =

Ian Christopher Austin (born 6 March, 1965) is a British Labour Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Dudley North.

Early life

Austin was brought up in Dudley and attended The Dudley School (now Castle High), and then the University of Essex at Colchester. Keen to obtain a National Union of Journalists card, he took a job with Black Country Publishing in Netherton where, despite his lack of sporting interest, he worked as a journalist on "Midland Sport Magazine".

Austin was elected as a councillor in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley in 1991, and served until 1995. He then moved to become press officer for the West Midlands Labour Party until 1998, when he spent a year as Deputy Director of Communications for the Scottish Labour Party.

In 1999 he was appointed a political advisor to the Chancellor of the Exchequer (now Prime Minister), Gordon Brown. He held the position until his election in 2005, and is well known as one Gordon Brown's closest lieutenants.

Parliamentary career

Austin was selected as the Labour candidate for Dudley North following the retirement of Ross Cranston, and was elected at the 2005 general election with a majority of 5,432.

Austin was reprimanded by the Speaker of the House of Commons for heckling during Prime Minister's Questions on 18 October 2006, and he was subsequently described by David Cameron as one of Gordon Brown's "boot boys". [ [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm061018/debtext/61018-0002.htm#06101834000473 House of Commons Hansard Debates for 18 Oct 2006] ] The following week he was rebuked again by the Speaker for comments made towards the Conservative benches. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7059832.stm BBC NEWS | Politics | Fireworks in the Commons] ]

Following Gordon Brown becoming prime minister on 27 June 2007, Austin was tipped for a post in Brown's inner circle. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6240362.stm BBC NEWS | Politics | Who's who: Brown's inner circle] ] The following day he was appointed a Parliamentary Private Secretary to Gordon Brown with a special provision to attend cabinet.

Personal life

Austin is married with three children. He lists his interests as football, cycling, and literature.

References

External links

* [http://www.ianaustin.co.uk Ian Austin MP] official website
* [http://politics.guardian.co.uk/person/0,9290,-8715,00.html Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Ian Austin MP]
* [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/ian_austin/dudley_north TheyWorkForYou.com - Ian Austin MP]
* [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn=Ian_Austin&mpc=Dudley_North The Public Whip - Ian Austin MP] voting record