Profile: Denis MacShane

Labour MP Rotherham

Date of birth

21 May 1948

Political profile

Denis MacShane has been a Labour MP since a 1994 by-election and has established himself as one of the party's leading pro-Europeans.

One of his other interests is in the BBC, which he criticises for a decline in standards; he was an employee of the Corporation in the 1970s.

He served as a parliamentary private secretary to successive Foreign Office ministers throughout the 1997 Parliament, before joining their number himself after the 2001 election.

He caused embarrassment after President Chavez of Venezuela was deposed in 2002, describing him as a "ranting, populist demagogue" - two days before he was restored to power.

Following the reshuffle in October 2002 caused by the resignation of Estelle Morris as education secretary he was appointed as Europe Minister.

Contact

[e-mail]

Constituency office 01709 837577