Steve Bassam, Baron Bassam of Brighton
|
The Right Honourable The Lord Bassam of Brighton PC |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Shadow Chief Whip of the House of Lords | |
|
Assumed office 11 May 2010 |
|
| Leader |
Harriet Harman (Acting) Ed Miliband Jeremy Corbyn |
| Preceded by | The Baroness Anelay of St John's |
|
Chief Whip of the House of Lords Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms |
|
|
In office 3 October 2008 – 11 May 2010 |
|
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | The Baroness Royall of Blaisdon |
| Succeeded by | The Baroness Anelay of St John's |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Steven Bassam 11 June 1953 Great Bentley, England, UK |
| Political party | Labour Co-operative |
| Alma mater |
University of Sussex University of Kent |
John Steven Bassam, Baron Bassam of Brighton, PC (born 11 June 1953) is a British Labour and Co-operative politician and member of the House of Lords.
Bassam grew up on a council estate in Great Bentley, Essex and went to the local County High School (now Colbayns) in Clacton-on-Sea. He then went to study at the universities of Sussex and Kent, where he received a Master's in social work. Bassam then began his career as a social worker at Camden London Borough Council. He moved on to other roles in local government, serving as Head of Environmental Health and Consumer Affairs at the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, later the Local Government Association, 1988–97.
He was also a squatter during his early years in Brighton, where he founded the Squatters Union which campaigned for the rights of squatters to occupy empty properties and improve the conditions of the squats.
Bassam became involved in local politics and was elected a Brighton councillor. He rose to become Leader of Brighton, then Brighton and Hove Council, from 1987 until 1999. He stood unsuccessfully for Parliament in Brighton Kemptown at the 1987 general election against the Conservative MP Andrew Bowden.
On 3 November 1997, he was created a life peer as Baron Bassam of Brighton, of Brighton in the County of East Sussex, and was introduced in the House of Lords on 18 November, sitting on the Labour benches.
...
Wikipedia