Ian Stewart

Labour MP Eccles

Date of birth

28 August 1950

Political profile

Ian Stewart was elected to the Commons in 1997 after a long career as a full time official for the Transport and General Workers Union.

Mr Stewart brought to Parliament many of the concerns he had faced as a trade unionist.

He has campaigned for more industrial education, and on the importance of the rights of employees.

He is generally on the left of the party and has been openly sceptical about the use of private finance in public services.

But his occasional rebellions on social issues - over welfare reforms and the pensions link to earnings - did not prevent him becoming parliamentary private secretary to Brian Wilson at the Foreign Office in 2001 and has since moved with the minister to the Department of Trade and Industry.

A committed pro-European, he is also an advocate of closer links between Britain and China - possibly inspired by his own practice of T'ai Chi.

He has also campaigned strongly on securing compensation for children damaged by vaccines.

Contact

Commons Office: 020 7219 3586

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