Derek Twigg | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2017 | |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Veterans | |
| In office 6 September 2006 – 5 October 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Tom Watson |
| Succeeded by | Kevan Jones |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport | |
| In office 5 May 2005 – 6 September 2006 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | David Jamieson |
| Succeeded by | Tom Harris |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of Schools | |
| In office 16 December 2004 – 5 May 2005 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Stephen Twigg |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Adonis |
| Lord Commissioner of the Treasury | |
| In office 13 June 2003 – 16 December 2004 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Phil Woolas |
| Succeeded by | Gillian Merron |
| Member of Parliament forWidnes and Halewood Halton (1997–2024) | |
| Assumed office 1 May 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Gordon Oakes |
| Majority | 16,425 (43.1%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1959-07-09)9 July 1959 (age 65) Widnes,Lancashire, England |
| Political party | Labour |
| Website | derektwigg |
John Derek Twigg (born 9 July 1959) is aBritish Labour Party politician who currently serves as theMember of Parliament (MP) forWidnes and Halewood since2024, and for its predecessor constituency,Halton, from the1997 general election until its abolition in 2024.
Twigg was born inWidnes,Lancashire and attendedBankfield High School in Widnes,[1][2] and afterwards Halton College of Further Education (nowRiverside College). At the age of 16, he joined the Civil Service and worked for the Department for Employment (atRuncorn) for the following 19 years.[3]
At 18, Twigg became branch secretary of theCivil and Public Services Association (now part of thePublic and Commercial Services Union) before joining the Labour Party in 1979. He was elected toCheshire County Council at the age of 21, serving as a county councillor until 1985. In 1983 he was elected toHalton Borough Council.[3] Between 1996 and 1997, he also worked as a political consultant.
At thegeneral election in 1997, Twigg succeededGordon Oakes as Member of Parliament for the constituency ofHalton. He made hismaiden speech in theHouse of Commons on 10 June 1997. He was appointedParliamentary Private Secretary toHelen Liddell, and then toStephen Byers, before serving as aGovernment Whip from June 2002 until 2004.
In December 2004, Twigg was appointedParliamentary Under-Secretary of State at theDepartment for Education and Skills. On 1 May 2005, he was booed and jeered while defendingschool league tables at the annualNational Association of Head Teachers conference.[4] After thegeneral election of May 2005, he became Under-Secretary of State in theDepartment for Transport.
In September 2006, Twigg was appointed Under-Secretary of State and Minister for Veterans at theMinistry of Defence.[3] In October 2008, he was replaced in this position and, declining the offer of another ministerial post, returned to theback benches.[5]
In 2013, he was one of 22 Labour MPs to vote against theMarriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill, which eventually passed with cross-party support.[6]
Twigg married Mary Cassidy in January 1988 inWidnes. He has a son and a daughter. Twigg's wife died on 26 November 2019; this led to him stepping away from hisgeneral election campaign and allowing his constituency party to run it on his behalf.[citation needed]
Twigg's interests outside politics include hill walking, military history (particularly World War II) andrugby league.[3] A lifelongLiverpool FC supporter, Twigg attended the 1989FA Cup semi-final tie between Liverpool andNottingham Forest at theHillsborough stadium, and watched the unfoldingHillsborough disaster from the north stand.[3]
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forHalton 1997–2024 | Constituency abolished |
| New constituency | Member of Parliament forWidnes and Halewood 2024–present | Incumbent |
