Harriet Harman is considered one of the great survivors of modern politics, having steadily rebuilt her career since being sacked from Tony Blair's first Cabinet in 1998.

She returned to the government in 2001 as the first female solicitor general and took on greater responsibilities four years later as constitution affairs minister, seeking to tackle issues including reversing voter apathy.

She narrowly won a six-way battle to be elected Labour's deputy leader in June 2007, at the age of 56. New leader Gordon Brown immediately appointed her as party chair in place of Hazel Blears.

Often portrayed as an ardent Brownite, her deputy leadership campaign made much of the fact that she served as Mr Brown's deputy when Labour were in opposition.