Ian Lavery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ian Lavery
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Official portrait, 2024
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| Chair of the Labour Party | |
| In office 14 June 2017 – 5 April 2020 |
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| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Preceded by | Tom Watson |
| Succeeded by | Angela Rayner |
| Labour Party Co-National Campaign Coordinator | |
| In office 10 February 2017 – 5 April 2020 Serving with Andrew Gwynne
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| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Preceded by | Jon Trickett |
| Succeeded by | Angela Rayner |
| Shadow Minister without Portfolio | |
| In office 9 February 2017 – 5 April 2020 |
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| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Preceded by | Andrew Gwynne |
| Succeeded by | Conor McGinn (2021) |
| Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office | |
| In office 7 October 2016 – 9 February 2017 |
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| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Preceded by | Tom Watson |
| Succeeded by | Jon Trickett |
| Shadow Minister for Trade Unions and Civil Society | |
| In office 18 September 2015 – 7 October 2016 |
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| Leader | Jeremy Corbyn |
| Preceded by | Lisa Nandy (Civil Society) |
| Succeeded by | Steve Reed (Civil Society) |
| Member of Parliament for Blyth and Ashington Wansbeck (2010–2024) |
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| Assumed office 6 May 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Denis Murphy |
| Majority | 9,173 (22.7%) |
| President of the National Union of Mineworkers | |
| In office 2002–2010 |
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| Preceded by | Arthur Scargill |
| Succeeded by | Nicky Wilson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 January 1963 Ashington, Northumberland, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Other political affiliations |
Socialist Campaign Group |
| Spouse |
Hilary Baird
(m. 1986) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | New College Durham |
Ian Lavery (born 6 January 1963) is a British politician for the Labour Party. He is a Member of Parliament (MP), which means he represents people from his local area in the UK government. Since 2024, he has been the MP for Blyth and Ashington. Before that, he was the MP for Wansbeck from 2010 to 2024.
Before becoming a politician, Lavery was the president of the National Union of Mineworkers, a group that supports coal miners. He is also part of the Socialist Campaign Group, a group of Labour MPs who share similar political ideas.
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Early Life and Career
Ian Lavery was born on 6 January 1963. After finishing school, he joined a training program and then worked in construction.
In 1980, he began working as a coal miner at the Lynemouth colliery. A year later, he moved to the Ellington Colliery and started an apprenticeship in mining. He also studied at New College Durham and earned a certificate in mining engineering.
Working with the Miners' Union
In 1986, Lavery became involved with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM). The NUM is a trade union, which is an organization that helps protect the rights of workers. He was elected to the NUM committee at his colliery.
He later took on bigger roles in the union for the Northumberland and North East areas. Lavery has said that because he was so active in the union, his managers at the mine stopped him from getting a higher qualification in his studies.
In 1992, he was elected to the national committee of the NUM. When the president of the union, Arthur Scargill, retired in 2002, Lavery was chosen to be the new president.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 2010, Ian Lavery was chosen by the Labour Party to run for Parliament in the Wansbeck area. He won the election and became the MP for Wansbeck. He was re-elected in 2015, 2017, and 2019.
As an MP, Lavery has held several important jobs within the Labour Party. These are often called "shadow" roles, which means he was the main person in his party responsible for a certain area, ready to take over if his party formed the government.
Important Roles in Parliament
From 2015 to 2016, Lavery was the Shadow Minister for Trade Unions and Civil Society. This meant he focused on issues related to workers' rights and community groups.
In 2017, he became the Chair of the Labour Party under the party's leader at the time, Jeremy Corbyn. This was a very senior position, and he held it until 2020.
During his time in Parliament, Lavery has spoken up for people in his community. For example, in 2018, he talked about the problems people living near the River Wansbeck had with getting affordable home insurance after major floods.
Views on Brexit
Lavery was against the idea of having a second vote on Brexit, which was the UK's decision to leave the European Union. He believed that if the Labour Party supported another vote, it might lose the next election.
Recent Political Career
In 2022, Lavery was one of several Labour MPs who signed a statement from the Stop the War Coalition about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The statement was critical of NATO, a military alliance. After the Labour Party leadership disagreed with the statement, all the MPs who signed it removed their names.
In the 2024 general election, the areas that MPs represent were changed. Lavery was elected as the MP for the new area of Blyth and Ashington.
Personal Life
Ian Lavery married Hilary Baird in 1986. They have two sons, Ian Junior and Liam. His son Liam is also involved in politics as a local town councillor in Ashington.
Lavery is involved in many local charities and community groups. He is a trustee for organizations that help retired miners and support people with disabilities. He is also the chair of the Pitmen Painters, a famous art group from Ashington that inspired a popular play.
