Daniel Zeichner | |
---|---|
Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs | |
Assumed office 8 July 2024 | |
Prime Minister | Keir Starmer |
Preceded by | Mark Spencer |
Member of Parliament for Cambridge | |
Assumed office 7 May 2015 | |
Preceded by | Julian Huppert |
Majority | 11,078 (26.3%) |
Member of South Norfolk District Council for Long Row | |
In office 4 May 1995 –1 May 2003 | |
Preceded by | D. Mitchell |
Succeeded by | Keith Weeks |
Personal details | |
Born | Daniel Stephen Zeichner 9 November 1956 Beckenham,Kent,England |
Political party | Labour |
Alma mater | King's College,Cambridge |
Website | Official website |
Daniel Stephen Zeichner (born 9 November 1956) is a British Labour Party politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Cambridge since 2015. [1] He has served as Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs since July 2024. [2] [3]
Daniel Zeichner was born on 9 November 1956 in Beckenham. His father was an Austrian political refugee whose family fled Vienna in 1938,and his mother was the descendant of agricultural workers from Cambridgeshire. [4] As a teenager,Zeichner was a middle-distance runner. [5]
He attended Trinity School of John Whitgift,a former grammar school,turned private school. After school,Zeichner went to the University of Cambridge,studying history at King's College. He joined the Labour Party in 1979. [5]
Zeichner's first job after graduation was as a trainee computer programmer,working for Cambridgeshire County Council at the register office next to Shire Hall on Castle Hill,Cambridge. He later worked in IT for a number of companies,including Norwich Union in Norfolk,Philips in East Chesterton and Perkins Engines in Peterborough. [5]
In 1992 Zeichner was hired by Norwich South MP John Garrett,working as press officer and parliamentary assistant for Garrett between 1992 and 1997. [6] [7] He subsequently worked for Garrett's successor,Charles Clarke,until 1999. [5] In 2002 Zeichner began working for the public sector trade union UNISON as a political officer,a post he held until he was elected to Parliament.
Zeichner has served several terms on Labour's National Policy Forum,the Labour Party's top policy-making body. He was first elected to represent the East of England on the body shortly after it was first established by Tony Blair as part of the "Partnership in Power" process. [5]
He was elected as a councillor in Burston,Norfolk,in 1995,a position in which he served until 2003. [8] During this time Zeichner became leader of the Labour group on South Norfolk District Council.
At the 1997 general election,Zeichner stood as the Labour Party candidate in Mid Norfolk,coming second with 37.3% of the vote behind the Conservative candidate Keith Simpson. [9] He stood again in Mid Norfolk at the 2001 general election,again coming second with 36.1% of the vote behind Keith Simpson. [10] At the 2005 general election,Zeichner again came second in Mid Norfolk,with 29.2% of the vote. [11]
In 2006,Zeichner described his politics as "socialist in a modern context". [12]
In the 2010 Labour leadership election,Zeichner supported Ed Miliband.
At the 2010 general election,Zeichner stood in Cambridge,coming third with 24.3% of the vote behind the Liberal Democrat candidate Julian Huppert and the Conservative candidate Nick Hillman. [13]
Zeichner was elected to Parliament as MP for Cambridge at the 2015 general election,with 36% of the vote and a majority of 599. [14] [15] He was appointed as a Shadow Minister for Transport in September 2015,responsible for buses,bikes and walking. [16]
In the 2015 Labour leadership election he supported Yvette Cooper.
In July 2016 Zeichner stated his opposition to the renewal of Trident. [17]
At the snap 2017 general election,Zeichner was re-elected as MP for Cambridge with an increased vote share of 51.9% and an increased majority of 12,661. [18] [19]
In June 2017 Zeichner resigned as a Shadow Transport Minister in order to vote in favour of an amendment to the government's 2017 Queen's Speech supporting the UK's membership of the single market,in defiance of the party whip. The amendment,which was defeated by 322 votes to 101,was tabled by former Shadow Cabinet Minister Chuka Umunna. In justifying his decision Zeichner explained:"My position on Europe has always been clear. I am a passionate pro-European and a straightforward politician. ... I promised the people of Cambridge I would stick to my principles and I would do right by our city –that means voting with my conscience and doing all I can to oppose the Tories' extreme Brexit which would,in my opinion,damage our economy,our security and our society as a whole". [20]
Zeichner was again re-elected at the 2019 general election,with a decreased vote share of 48% and a decreased majority of 9,639. [21] [22]
In January 2020,Zeichner was appointed as a Shadow Farming and Agriculture Minister in the Shadow Department for Environment,Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) team. [23] [24] He supported Keir Starmer in the 2020 leadership election. [25] Zeichner remained in the Shadow DEFRA team following Keir Starmer's first reshuffle as Labour leader,but gained the fisheries brief from Ruth Jones MP,as Shadow Food,Farming and Fisheries Minister. [26]
In June 2020,Parliament's Standards and Privileges Committee censured Zeichner for misusing public funds relating to stationery and pre-paid House of Commons envelopes during the 2019 general election campaign. [27]
On 30 August 2021,Keir Starmer announced that Zeichner would become acting Shadow Secretary of State for Environment,Food and Rural Affairs in place of Luke Pollard until the 2021 Labour Party Conference to allow Pollard to spend more time with his community after the Plymouth shooting. [28]
At the 2024 general election,Zeichner was again re-elected,with a decreased vote share of 46.6% and an increased majority of 11,078. [29]
Zeichner met Barbara "Budge" Ziolkowska,his partner,when he was a student at King's College,Cambridge,in 1976. They live in Comberton,a village six miles (ten kilometres) southwest of the city of Cambridge. [5]
Sir Alan Campbell is a British politician who has served as Chief Whip of the House of Commons and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury since July 2024. A member of the Labour Party,he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tynemouth since 1997.
John Healey is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Defence since July 2024. A member of the Labour Party,he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Rawmarsh and Conisbrough,previously Wentworth and Wentworth and Dearne,since 1997.
Emily Anne Thornberry,Lady Nugee is a British Labour politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Islington South and Finsbury since 2005. She served as Shadow Attorney General for England and Wales from 2021 until the 2024 UK general election,and previously from 2011 to 2014. Thornberry has also served in a number of other senior positions on Labour's front bench,namely as Shadow Foreign Secretary from 2016 to 2020,Shadow First Secretary of State from 2017 to 2020 and Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade from 2020 to 2021.
Andrew John Gwynne is a British Labour and Co-operative politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Gorton and Denton,previously Denton and Reddish,since 2005. He was Shadow Minister for Social Care from 2023 to the 2024 election. He is currently serving as the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention.
Patrick Bosco McFadden is a British politician who has served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster since July 2024. A member of the Labour Party,he has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wolverhampton South East since 2005. McFadden has previously held various junior ministerial positions and shadow portfolios in his parliamentary career between 2005 and 2024.
Matthew Toby Perkins is a British Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Chesterfield since 2010. He served as Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs from 2023 until 2024. He previously served as Shadow Minister for Apprentices and Lifelong Learning from April 2020 to September 2023 and was Shadow Minister for Small Business under Ed Miliband and Shadow Minister for the Armed Forces under Jeremy Corbyn.
Bridget Maeve Phillipson is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities since July 2024. A member of the Labour Party,she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Houghton and Sunderland South since 2010.
William Roffen Esterson is a British Labour Party politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Sefton Central since 2010. He was Shadow Minister for Roads from 2023 to 2024,and was Shadow Minister for Small Business from 2015 to 2020.
Lucy Maria Powell is a British politician who has served as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council since July 2024. A member of the Labour and Co-operative parties,she has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Manchester Central since 2012.
Matthew Thomas Pennycook is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Greenwich and Woolwich since 2015. He has served as Minister of State for Housing and Planning since July 2024.
Justin Piers Richard Madders is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellesmere Port and Bromborough,previously Ellesmere Port and Neston,since 2015. He has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment Rights,Competition and Markets since July 2024.
Ruth Margaret Cadbury is a British politician and planner who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Brentford and Isleworth since 2015. A member of the Labour Party,she was a Member of Hounslow Council from 1986 to 2015 and Deputy Leader of the Council from 2010 to 2012.
Gillian Furniss is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough since 2016. She was a Member of Sheffield City Council from 1999 to 2016.
Christopher Philip James Elmore is a Welsh Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bridgend,previously Ogmore,since 2016. He has been Comptroller of the Household since 10 July 2024.
Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi,commonly known as Tan Dhesi, is a British Labour Party politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Slough since 2017.
Stephanie Louise Peacock is a British Labour Party politician who has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Barnsley South,previously Barnsley East,since 2017. She has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sport,Media,Civil Society and Youth since July 2024.
Matthew Richard Allen Rodda is a British Labour Party politician,former journalist,and civil servant who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Reading Central,previously Reading East,since 2017.
Luke Pollard is a British politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport since 2017. A member of the Labour and Co-operative parties,he has served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces since July 2024.
Charalambos "Bambos" Charalambous is a British Labour politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Southgate and Wood Green,previously Enfield Southgate,since 2017. While in opposition he held a series of shadow ministry posts. He was suspended from the Labour Party during an investigation into a complaint against him between June 2023 and April 2024,but the complaint was not upheld.
The frontbench of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in the Parliament of the United Kingdom consists of the Shadow Cabinet and other shadow ministers of the political party currently serving as the Official Opposition. From 2015 to 2020,Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition was the Labour Party,and the Leader of the Opposition was Jeremy Corbyn.