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 Ian McCartney was elected to represent the Makerfield Constituency in 1987 and has been re-elected to Parliament at the general elections of 1992, 1997, 2001 and 2005. In 2007 he celebrates 20 years as a Member of Parliament.
In September 2007, Ian was appointed Commissioner General for the Shanghai World Expo 2010 and is the Prime Ministers personal representative on the Socialist International.
Ian has held a number of senior posts in government since the election of a Labour Government in 1997.
Ian was previously:
Minister of State for Trade, Investment and Foreign Affairs (2006-2007)
Minister Without Portfolio and Labour Party Chair (2003-2006)
Minister of State for Pensions at the Department for Work and Pensions (2001-2003)
Minister of State for the Cabinet Office (1999-2001)
Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) (1997-1999).
Prior to that Ian held a number of positions in Opposition - spokesperson on Health, Employment, Education and Social Services.
Born in 1951, Ian had a number of jobs after leaving school, including working as a seaman and a local Government manual worker. He was a councillor for Wigan Borough from 1982-87.
In his previous role at the Cabinet Office, Mr McCartney was responsible for modernising Government and E-Government. He was also responsible for the co-ordination of the 2002 Commonwealth Games, drugs policy and the Better Government for Older People initiative. This was launched in June 1998 to improve public services for older people by listening to their needs on wide ranging issues including, access to benefits, health, housing and transport.
At the DTI, Mr McCartney was dealing with employment relations, the Post Office, Company Law and inward investment. During his time there, he succeeded in steering through legislation creating a national minimum wage, the fairness at work legislation and the Competition Act.
In a letter to the new Prime Minister - Gordon Brown in June 2007, Ian signalled his intention to stand down from cabinet. Ian wrote;
Dear Gordon
Further to our meeting earlier today I am writing to thank you for your generous offer of continuing in ministerial office.
Few Labour politicians in our party's history have served as a Minister for a full decade and I have been honoured to have sat in Cabinet for the last four years. It has been a privilege working beside you and Tony knowing that every day that we have gone to work we have improved the lives of thousands of people.
As a Minister I have worked alongside you to introduce the national minimum wage, the pension credit and in organising the successful Commonwealth Games in Manchester. While I was Chair of our party we negotiated the Warwick agreement and won an historic 3rd term.
My pride in what we have achieved together is matched by my optimism about your future as Prime Minister. I know that you will ensure that Britain meets the new challenges we face, making our country even stronger and fairer. But to do so you will need to be able to bring fresh faces into government. For that reason, after 15 years on the Labour front bench, 13 years on the NEC and a decade as vice chair and chair and of the National Policy Forum, I think the time is right for me to step aside.
I will continue to campaign for working people and on behalf of my Makerfield constituents. You will always be able to count on my friendship and support.
Best wishes to you, Sarah and the boys,
Rt Hon Ian McCartney MP
Ian is married with one son (Hugh, who died tragically in 1999), two daughters and ten grandchildren. He is a keen supporter of Wigan Warriors Rugby League.
Ian announced recently that he will not seek re-election at the next general election.
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About Ian
