Ian McCartney

Labour MP Makerfield

Date of birth

25 April 1951

Political profile

One of Labour's most respected ministers within the Commons, Ian McCartney has been an MP since 1987 and has sat on the front bench since 1992.

When Labour entered government, he became a minister at the Department of Trade and Industry.

There, his close links to the trade union movement helped him to bring Labour's flagship employment settlement successfully through the Commons.

He was also able to put the minimum wage, for which he had long campaigned, on the statute book.

Mr McCartney moved in 1999 to the Cabinet Office where he took responsibility for another of his most personal concerns, the war against drugs.

After the 2001 election he became minister for pensions.

In the reshuffle which followed the resignation of Robin Cook in March 2003, he finally entered the Cabinet as Chairman of the Labour Party and Minister without Portfolio.

He is an extremely active, hard talking Scot, and likes to attack the Tories from the despatch box.

Mr McCartney is also one of Labour's most skilled fixers and, as a leading member of the 'New Left for New Labour' grouping, is seen as an important go-between, trading off government and grassroots opinion.

He sits on the party's National Executive Committee, as well as a number of 'backstage' party bodies.

Contact

Commons office: 020 7219 4503
Email: [e-mail]