Helen Goodman

Biography:

Helen Goodman was re-elected MP for Bishop Auckland on May 7th 2015 with 16307 votes, taking 41.4% of the vote.

Helen was elected MP for Bishop Auckland in May 2005.

Following the 2005 General Election, she served on the influential Public Accounts Committee until her appointment as Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Ministry of Justice in April 2007.

In June 2007, Helen was appointed Deputy Leader of the House of Commons and worked alongside the Leader of the House, Harriet Harman, (see left) to organise and arrange business in the House, and implement the Government’s Programme for Constitutional Reform.

Helen was Deputy Leader of the House for 16 months, before becoming an Assistant Government Whip in the Prime Minister’s autumn reshuffle. In her new position Helen will focus on delivering the programme that people voted for in the General Election, and will mean that she works closely with new Chief Whip and Minister for the North East, Nick Brown (see right).

Helen was born in Nottingham in 1958 and grew up in Derbyshire. After going to the local comprehensive school, she went to Somerville College, Oxford, where she read Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

After leaving Oxford, Helen’s first job was as a researcher for Philip Whitehead MP. She became a civil servant at the Treasury in 1980 and rose to become Head of the Central Strategy Unit in 1995. Her time at the Treasury also included a period working in the office of the Czechoslovak Prime Minister during the transition from communism in 1990 to 1991.

Having left the Treasury in 1997, Helen became Director of the Commission on the Future of Multi Ethnic Britain, and in 1998 became Head of Strategy at the Children’s Society. From 2002 until entering Parliament, she was Chief Executive of the National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries.

Helen is a member of the GMB, Amnesty International and the Christian Socialist Movement. She has also been Chair of Camden Co-operative Party and a school governor. Helen’s main political interests include the environment, children’s issues and international development.

She currently is the Shadow Minister for Welfare Reform.

Helen is married with two children, and outside of politics, she enjoys cooking, walking and being with her family.

Constituency: Bishop Auckland

Constituency Address: Shibdon Business Centre, Norland House, Hackworth Industrial Park, Shildon, County Durham DL4 1HE

Constituency Tel: 01388 603075

Date of Birth: 02.01.1958

Email: goodmanh@parliament.uk

Party: Labour

Personal Website: helengoodman.co.uk

Westminster Address: House of Commons
Westminster
London
SW1A 0AA

Westminster Tel: 020 7219 4346

Twitter: @HelenGoodmanMP