Rosemary Butler (politician)
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Dame Rosemary Butler DBE |
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| Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales | |
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In office 11 May 2011 – 11 May 2016 |
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| Deputy | David Melding |
| Preceded by | Dafydd Elis-Thomas |
| Succeeded by | Elin Jones |
| Deputy Presiding Officer | |
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In office 9 May 2007 – 11 May 2011 |
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| Preceded by | John Marek |
| Succeeded by | David Melding |
| Minister for Education | |
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In office 25 May 1999 – 18 October 2000 |
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| First Secretary | Alun Michael |
| Preceded by | New post |
| Succeeded by | Jane Davidson |
| Member of the Welsh Assembly for Newport West |
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In office 6 May 1999 – 6 April 2016 |
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| Preceded by | New Assembly |
| Succeeded by | Jayne Bryant |
| Majority | 4,220 (18.3%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Rosemary Janet Mair McGrath 21 January 1943 Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England, UK |
| Political party | Welsh Labour Party |
| Spouse(s) | Derek Butler (1966–present); 2 children |
Dame Rosemary Janet Mair Butler DBE (née McGrath; born 21 January 1943) is a British politician who was Labour Member of the National Assembly for Wales for Newport West from 1999 until 2016.
Serving briefly as Assembly Secretary for Education in the first two years of the Assembly, she was elected Deputy Presiding Officer of the Assembly in May 2007. Following her election in May 2011 Butler was appointed Presiding Officer of the Assembly. She did not stand for election to the Assembly in the 2016 elections.
Rosemary Janet Mair McGrath was born in Much Wenlock, Shropshire. Her family moved to the Rhymney Valley soon after. As a teenager she moved to Newport with her parents (Godfrey and Gwen McGrath) and brother John; there she attended St Julian's High School.
In the early 1960s she met her husband Derek Butler, whom she married in 1966. He was a lecturer in art and design at Newport Art college, which was at the time based in Clarence Place. They have two daughters, Kate (born 1968) and Alice (born 1970).
In 1971 Butler joined the Labour Party. She was elected to Newport Borough Council from Caerleon ward in 1973, and played an important part in Labour administrations on the council as Deputy Leader and Mayor of Newport in 1989–90. She was Chair of the Leisure Services Committee for 12 years.
At the first Assembly election in 1999, Butler was selected as Labour candidate for Newport West which she won. She was appointed Assembly Secretary for Education: Minister for Children and Young People (up to 16) by Alun Michael but held office only for a year, leaving in October 2000 when the new First Minister Rhodri Morgan formed a coalition government. She was Chair of the Assembly's Culture, Welsh Language and Sport Committee and served on the Panel of Chairs. She led the British Council activities in the Assembly and also represents the Assembly on the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) where she is a member of the Bureau (executive) of the Committee.
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