Derek Twigg
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Derek Twigg MP
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Member of Parliament
for Halton |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 1 May 1997 |
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| Preceded by | Gordon Oakes |
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| Majority | 14,606 (42.7%) |
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| Born | July 9, 1959 Widnes |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | Mary Cassidy |
| Children | 1 son, 1 daughter |
| Website | Derek Twigg |
John Derek Twigg (born 9 July 1959, Widnes) is a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He is Member of Parliament for Halton in Cheshire, and was first elected at the 1997 general election.
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Derek Twigg went to Bankfield High School (now The Bankfield School)[1] in Widnes, and then to Halton College of Further Education (now Riverside College Halton). He started to work at the age of 16 as a civil servant for the Department for Employment (now the Department for Employment and Learning) in Runcorn for the next 19 years.[2]
At the age of 18 Derek Twigg became the branch secretary to the Civil and Public Services Association (now part of the Public and Commercial Services Union) and in 1979 he joined the Labour Party. At the age of 21 he was elected to Cheshire County Council and continued to be a county councilor until 1985. In 1983 he was elected to Halton Borough Council.[2] From 1996-7 he was a political consultant.[citation needed]
In the general election in 1997 Derek Twigg succeeded Gordon Oakes as Member of Parliament for the Halton Constituency and made his maiden speech on 10 June 1997. He served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Helen Liddell and to Stephen Byers and was appointed as a Government Whip in June 2002. In December 2004 Derek Twigg was appointed as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education and Skills and after the general election in May 2005 he became Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport. In September 2006 he was appointed Under Secretary of State and Minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence.[2] In October 2008 he was replaced in this position and, declining the offer of another ministerial post, returned to the back benches.[3]
He married Mary Cassidy in January 1988 in Widnes. They have a son (born June 1989) and daughter (born April 1992).[citation needed] Derek lists his interests outside politics as hill walking, military history, particularly World War Two, Rugby League, and football.[2]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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| Preceded by Gordon Oakes |
Member of Parliament for Halton 1997 – present |
Incumbent |
