Ben Bradshaw

Labour MP Exeter

Date of birth

30 August 1960

Political profile

A former journalist, Ben Bradshaw won one of the more interesting electoral contests in 1997 when, as a gay man and pro-European campaigner, he fought the Eurosceptic Conservative Dr Adrian Rogers, who decided to make an electoral issue of Mr Bradshaw's sexuality.

Mr Bradshaw's experience as the BBC's correspondent in Berlin during the fall of the Berlin Wall was put to use when he was appointed a junior Foreign Office minister in 2001.

The position played to other strengths - he speaks German and Italian.

He was attacked in 2001 by an ink-throwing protester opposing the British military action in Afghainstan following 11 September.

In the 2002 reshuffle, Mr Bradshaw was moved to become deputy to Commons Leader Robin Cook.

And in June 2003 he changed jobs again, appointed as a minister in the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Contact

Commons Office: 020 7219 6597

Email: [e-mail]

Website: www.benbradshaw.co.uk