Gillian Merron is the Labour Member of Parliament for Lincoln and Minister in the Department for International Development (DfID).

Gillian was a trade union official for NUPE, now UNISON in the East Midlands, and was elected to Parliament in 1997 to represent Lincoln.  In 2007, Prime Minister, Gordon Brown asked her to join the Cabinet Office and become a new Regional Minister and then following a reshuffle in 2008 asked her to become a Minister in DfID.

About Your MP

• Labour Member of Parliament for Lincoln since 1997
• Educated at Wanstead High School and Lancaster University
• Before entering Parliament, a Trade Union Official (NUPE/UNISON) and a Local Government Officer
• Assistant Government Whip (2002-2004)
• Lords Commissioner to HM Treasury (Government Whip) (2004-2006)
• Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (2006 - 2007)
• Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office and Minsiter for the East Midlands (2007 - 2008)
• Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development (2008 - )

FULL PROFILE 

Born

• 12 April 1959 

Educated 

• Lancaster University, BSc (Hons) Management Sciences (1978-81)
• Wanstead High School 

Career

• UNISON, Senior Regional Officer for Lincolnshire (1995-97)
• East Midlands Full Time Official, National Union of Public Employees (NUPE) – and UNISON (1987-95)
• Local Government Officer (1985-87)         
• Business Development Advisor (1982-85) 

Parliamentary Career

• Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for International Development (2008 - )
• Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office and Minister for the East Midlands (2007 - 2008)
• Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (2006 - 2007)
• Lords Commissoner to HM Treasury(Government Whip), (2004-2006)
• Assistant Government Whip (2002-2004)
• Parliamentary Private Secretary to Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (2001-02), Minister for Defence Procurement (1999-01), and Minister for the Armed Forces (1998-99) 

Political Background

• Member of the Labour Party since 1982
• Co-ordinated Shadow Cabinet Central Region Campaign in General Election (1992) and European Parliamentary Election (1994)        
• Vice Chair, Regional Labour Party Executive 

Constituency Organisations

• President – Lincoln and District Branch of the Parkinson’s Disease Association; Lincoln Mencap; Breath Easy Lincoln
• Vice Chair – Lincoln Co-operative Voluntary Party
• Patron – Friends of the Mary Gordon; Friends of St Helens Church, Boultham; Ermine Community Group
• Vice Patron - Usher Gallery Trust
• Member of Lincoln Civic Trust
• Member of Lincoln and District Indoor Bowls Club

Supporter

• Girlguiding UK, Ambassador 
• Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
• Holocaust Educational Trust 

Parliamentary Activities

• Graduate of Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme – RAF
• Fellow of the Industry and Parliament Trust – placement with Unilever
• Captain of the House of Commons Women’s Tug-of-War team (2003 – 2005)  
• Associate Member of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body (2001-02)
• Board Member of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (1998-01) 

Parliamentary Groups

• Chair of East-Midlands Group of Labour MPs (1999-02)
• Vice Chair - Parliamentary Labour Party Backbench Committee on Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs (1997-98)
• Member of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry (1997-98)

International Interests

• First serving MP to volunteer with Voluntary Service Overseas in Guyana supporting the Guyana Teachers Union(2005)
• Member of All Party Parliamentary Groups: British-American;
• Inter-Parliamentary Union and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
• Labour Friends of Israel 

Membership

• UNISON
• Co-operative Party
• Cats Protection League
• Amnesty International

Leisure Interests

• Lincoln City Football Club, running, gym, films.

ELECTION RESULTS