Karen Buck facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dame
Karen Buck
DBE
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Official portrait, 2020
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| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport | |
| In office 10 May 2005 – 16 March 2006 |
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| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Charlotte Atkins |
| Succeeded by | Gillian Merron |
| Member of Parliament for Westminster North Regent's Park and Kensington North (1997–2010) |
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| In office 1 May 1997 – 30 May 2024 |
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| Preceded by | John Wheeler |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Member of Westminster City Council for Queen's Park |
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| In office 3 May 1990 – 16 October 1997 |
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| Succeeded by | Paul Dimoldenberg |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 August 1958 Castlederg, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse |
Barrie Taylor
(m. 2000; died 2024) |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics (BSc, MSc, MA) |
Dame Karen Patricia Buck (born on August 30, 1958) is a British politician from the Labour Party. She was a Member of Parliament (MP) for areas in London, including Westminster North. She served as an MP from 1997 until 2024. Before becoming an MP, she was a member of the Westminster City Council from 1990 to 1997.
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Early Life and Education
Karen Buck was born in Castlederg, a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. She went to Chelmsford County High School for Girls. Later, she studied at the London School of Economics. There, she earned degrees in Economics and Social Policy.
Early Career and Local Politics
Karen Buck joined the Labour Party in 1978. The next year, she started working for Outset, a charity that helps disabled people. In 1983, she began working for Hackney London Borough Council. She first worked as a senior officer helping people with disabilities. Later, she became a public health officer.
She first tried to get elected to the council in 1982 when she was 23. In 1986, she ran for a seat on the Westminster City Council. Even though her party gained more votes, she did not win a seat that time.
In 1987, she started working for the Labour Party as a researcher. She helped plan election campaigns from 1992. In 1990, she was elected to the Westminster City Council. She represented the Queen's Park area, which was a strong area for her party. She stayed on the council until 1997, when she became an MP. While on the council, she helped to show problems with how the council was being run.
Parliamentary Career
Karen Buck was chosen to run for Parliament through a special process. She was elected as the Labour MP for Regent's Park and Kensington North in the 1997 United Kingdom general election. This election was a huge win for the Labour Party. She gave her first speech in Parliament on June 17, 1997. She served as an MP for 27 years.
Roles in Government and Opposition
After being elected, Karen Buck joined a committee that looked at social security. After the 2001 election, she joined a committee focused on work and pensions. In 2005, she became a junior minister in the government. She worked at the Department for Transport.
In the 2010 United Kingdom general election, she was elected as the MP for the new Westminster North area. It was a close election, but she won.
After Labour lost the 2010 election, Karen Buck supported Ed Miliband to become the new leader of the Labour Party. While Miliband was leader, she served as a "Shadow Minister." This meant she spoke for the Labour Party on topics like welfare reform and further education. In 2013, she became a special assistant to Ed Miliband.
After the 2015 election, she joined the Work and Pensions Committee again. She supported Yvette Cooper in the Labour leadership election that year. Later, in 2016, she supported Owen Smith when he challenged Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership. In the 2017 United Kingdom general election, she greatly increased her majority, showing strong support in her area.
Key Achievements and Later Career
In December 2018, a law she proposed, called the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act, became law. This law helps tenants take action if their landlord does not keep their home safe and suitable to live in. This law was supported by politicians from different parties.
She was re-elected in 2019. In 2020, she supported Keir Starmer to become the new Labour leader. She was then appointed Shadow Minister for Social Security in July 2020. She held this role until September 2023.
In January 2024, Karen Buck announced that she would not run for election again. She was given the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2024 Birthday Honours. This is a special award for her public service.
Views and Interests
Karen Buck has spoken about important issues. In 2018, she shared her worries that homeless people in London were being forced to move far away from their communities. She said this made it even harder for them to keep their lives together.
She voted to ban hunting with dogs. She also voted in favor of same-sex marriage. In 2007, she voted against replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system. She was also a member of groups like Greenpeace and Amnesty International.
Karen Buck was a member of several trade unions. These unions represent workers in different jobs.
Personal Life
Karen Buck is a Roman Catholic. In 2000, she married Barrie Taylor. They had a son together. Barrie Taylor also served on the Westminster City Council with her. He passed away in 2024.
