Preceded by John Lee Name Gordon Prentice Nationality Scottish Role British Politician | Political party Labour Party Labour Party Alma mater University of Glasgow Succeeded by Andrew Stephenson | |
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Born 28 January 1951 (age 73)
Edinburgh, Scotland ( 1951-01-28 ) Spouse Bridget Prentice (m. 1975) Education George Heriot's School, University of Glasgow | ||
Gordon Prentice (born 28 January 1951) is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Pendle in Lancashire, from 1992 to 2010.
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Early life
He was educated at the independent George Heriot's School in Edinburgh, and the University of Glasgow, where he received an MA in Politics and Economics in 1972, and was president of the union. From 1982 to 1992, he worked for the Labour Party Policy Directorate.
Parliamentary career
Prentice was first elected at the 1992 General Election, for Pendle. He was one of the few Labour MPs not to endorse Gordon Brown for the 2007 Labour Leadership, instead nominating left winger John McDonnell. On 28 July 2008, he became the second MP, after Graham Stringer, to call for Gordon Brown to resign. He was a member of the Public Administration Committee, during the 2005–10 Parliament.
In May 2010, soon after leaving office, he described the moment he was nearly killed by a sledgehammer wielding man in August 1998. He also announced he wouldn't stand in Pendle in the next election, stating he was now a private citizen.
Personal life
He married Bridget Prentice (née Corr), later also an MP, whom he had met while at university, on 20 December 1975. The couple divorced in 2000, having been separated since 1997. On 10 September 2011, he married Heather Halliday in Newmarket, Canada, his new hometown. They knew each other as teenagers, and had no contact for many years.