Liz Blackman

Liz Blackman


Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
In office 28 June 2007 – 5 October 2008
Prime Minister	Gordon Brown
Preceded by	John Heppell
Succeeded by	Claire Ward
Member of Parliament for Erewash
In office 2 May 1997 – 12 April 2010
Preceded by	Angela Knight
Succeeded by	Jessica Lee
Personal details
Born	(1949-09-26) 26 September 1949 (age 67) Penrith, Cumberland, England
Nationality	British
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	Derek Blackman (div.)
Alma mater	Nottingham Trent University
Website	http://www.lizblackmanmp.org.uk/

Elizabeth Marion Blackman (born 26 September 1949) is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Erewash from 1997 to 2010. She served as a Government Whip from 2007-08.

Blackman was born in 1949 in Penrith, England. She was educated at the Carlisle County School for Girls (now called St Aidan's County High School); Prince Henry's Grammar School in Otley; and Clifton College, Nottingham, where she was awarded a BEd degree in 1972.

She taught history at Bramcote Park Comprehensive School, an upper school, in Nottingham, and in 1991 she was elected as a councillor to Broxtowe District Council, and became its deputy leader in 1995 until her election to Westminster in 1997. She stood down from the council in 1998.

Blackman was selected to stand for election for Labour through an all-women shortlist. Blackman was elected as the Labour MP for Erewash at the 1997 General Election, defeating the Conservative Angela Knight. She began her progress up the political ladder when she was nominated to the Treasury Select Committee in 1997, replacing Diane Abbott. In 2000 she became the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon. She remained Hoon's PPS after the 2005 General Election in his new position as Leader of the House of Commons. She was promoted to Government Whip and Vice-Chamberlain of the Household in 2007 but stood down from the government in 2008.