Bob Ainsworth

The Rt Hon Bob Ainsworth MP
Member of Parliament for Coventry North East
Incumbent
Assumed office 9 April 1992
Preceded by	John Hughes
Personal details
Born	(1952-06-19) 19 June 1952 Coventry
Political party	Labour

Robert William 'Bob' Ainsworth (b. 19 June 1952) is the British Member of Parliament for Coventry North East. He is a member of the Labour Party. He is a the Minister of State at the Ministry of Defence.

Born in Coventry and attended the local Foxford Comprehensive School, he first became active in politics as a trade unionist at the Jaguar Cars plant in Coventry, where he worked from 1971. He had served in many capacities within the Manufacturing, Science and Finance Union there, including four years as the Branch President. During 1982 and 1983 he was a candidate member of the International Marxist Group, but he was never a full member of that organisation. In 1984 he was elected to the Coventry City Council, and was its deputy leader from 1989–1992. He became MP for Coventry North East in 1992 after the sitting MP, John Hughes, was de-selected by the Constituency Labour Party. He stepped down from the city council the following year.

He has been an ever present member of Tony Blair's government. From 1997–2001 he served as a Lord Commissioner to the Treasury. In January 2001 the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Peter Mandelson resigned from government over what had become known as the Hinduja Scandal, in the reshuffle which followed, Ainsworth was promoted as the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the former Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions. Following the 2001 General Election he was moved sideways to the Home Office where he remained until 2003 when he became the Deputy Chief Whip also known as the Treasurer of the Household. On 29 June 2007 he was replaced by Nick Brown and moved to become the new Minister of State for Defence, replacing Adam Ingram.

External links

• Coventry North East Constituency Labour Party Local Labour Party site
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Bob Ainsworth
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Bob Ainsworth MP
• Parliamentary Yearbook biography & latest election results