Will Straw
Will Straw was the Labour Party candidate for the 2015 election for Rossendale and Darwen. He is also the founding editor of LeftFootForward.org and an associate director at Institute for Public Policy Research.
He is the son of former home secretary and foreign secretary Jack Straw.
Contents
Career
Straw has worked in the UK government as a senior policy advisor on enterprise and growth issues at HM Treasury and in the US as an associate director for economic growth at the [[Center for American Progression in Washington D.C.[1]
He is the founding editor of LeftFootForward.org, a blog focusing on British politics, policy, and current affairs.
Since 2011 he has been associate director for climate change, energy and transport at the Institute for Public Policy Research.[1] He is also editor of Going for growth, a joint publication by the IPPR.[2]
He was selected as the Labour Party candidate for Rossendale and Darwen for the 2015 general election. He is one of a number of 'red princes and princesses' whose parents are MPs or former MPs who will be looking for a seat in parliament, including Euan Blair and David Prescott.[3] In 2014 whilst campaigning he vowed to save the NHS and stop privatisation, however he recently a donation of £5000 from family friend and boss of McKesson UK, one of the primary NHS contractors, Patrick Carter.[4] Straw came second in the vote as the seat was held by the Conservative Party's Jake Berry.[5]
Controversies
Cannabis
As a 17 year old he was forced to write a letter to Tony Blair apologising for 'letting down and embarrassing the Labour Party, after he was caught selling cannabis to undercover reporters while his father was Home Secretary.[3]
Personal life
Straw's father is Jack Straw, the home secretary between 1997 and 2001 and foreign secretary from 2001 to 2006.
He is married to Claire Straw, who works for the Bill Gates Foundation.[3]
Education
Publications
- Will Straw personal website
- Will Straw twitter
Contact
- Email: willstraw4rossendale.darwen@gmail.com
Resources
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Will Straw Institute for Public Policy Research, accessed 19 December 2014
- ↑ Will Straw Guardian, accessed 19 December 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Could there be another Straw in the House? Former Foreign Secretary's son targets seat at 2015 General Election Daily Mail, 2 September 2014, accessed 19 December 2014
- ↑ Red Prince Vows “End to Tory Privatisation of NHS” But Takes Donation From Boss of Top Private Contractor Guido Fawkes, 10 November 2014, accessed 19 December 2014
- ↑ BBC News Rossendale & Darwen, accessed 22 May 2015.
