Beverley Hughes

Labour MP Stretford and Urmston

Date of birth

30 March 1950

Political profile

Beverley Hughes was first elected in 1997 but has made a very rapid ascent of the ladder of power, becoming parliamentary private secretary to Hilary Armstrong in 1998.

She became a junior minister at the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Ms Hughes joined the Home Office as child protection minister after the 2001 election.

A former lecturer and council leader, her expertise is in social policy and she has long been advocate of the rights of women and pensioners.

She took on responsibility for asylum and immigration in the 2002 reshuffle following Stephen Byers' departure from government.

Ms Hughes was the target of much ridicule and criticism in July 2001 when she toured the media denouncing the edition of the Channel 4 television show Brass Eye dealing with paedophilia.

Ms Hughes declared that it was "unspeakably sick", but had not seen it - and refused to watch it.

Ms Hughes resigned from the government in April 2004 after it emerged that Romanian and Bulgarian nationals were being given British visas even though their applications were supported by false documents.

Contact

[e-mail]

Constituency office 0161 749 9120