Patricia Hewitt

Labour MP Leicester West

Date of birth

2 December 1948

Political profile

Patrica Hewitt entered the cabinet in 2001 as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

This was a promotion from within the department where she had previously been responsible for e-commerce and small businesses.

Ms Hewitt has also worked at the Treasury, where she gained a reputation as an efficient minister.

As a member of the 1997 Labour intake, she has enjoyed a rapid promotion but she entered Parliament with a history in high-level Labour politics, having served as Neil Kinnock's press secretary.

She co-wrote Mr Kinnock's famous conference speech attacking Militant.

The now minister is also thought to have helped set up Labour's feared database, Excalibur, the computer that spearheaded the party's "rapid rebuttal" of Tory attacks in 1997.

Ms Hewitt chose her young children over a parliamentary career in 1992, delaying her entry to the Commons.

Contact

Commons office: 020 7219 4180
Constituency office: 0116 251 6271