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Patricia HewittBritish Labour politician
Date of Birth: 02.12.1948
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
Early Life and Education
Patricia Hewitt, Baroness Hewitt of Bletherstone, is a British Labour politician. Born in Australia as the daughter of Sir Lenox Hewitt, a senior civil servant, Hewitt received her education at Canberra Girls' Grammar School, the Australian National University, Cambridge University, and Oxford University.
Political Career
Early InvolvementHewitt began her political involvement with the Conservative Party in Australia, but later became a member of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom in the 1970s. She aligned herself with the party's left wing and supported Tony Benn. In 1981, she publicly criticized the left-wing Labourites who failed to back Benn for the position of Deputy Leader, allowing Denis Healey to win.
Parliamentary and Government Service
Hewitt's first attempt to enter Parliament in 1983 was unsuccessful. However, she served as a spokesperson for Labour leader Neil Kinnock before being elected to the House of Commons in 1997. She joined the government in 1998 as Economic Secretary to the Treasury and then as a Minister of State in the Department of Trade and Industry, where she was responsible for small businesses and e-commerce.
Following the 2001 election, Hewitt became Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and was made a Privy Counsellor. In May 2005, she took over as Secretary of State for Health, where she became known for her support for a complete ban on smoking in public places (which eventually became law on July 1, 2007). She also sought to implement the Medical Training Application Service for junior doctors, a project that faced criticism from the opposition and the medical community.
Hewitt remained in this post until the end of Tony Blair's premiership. When Gordon Brown became Prime Minister in June 2007, he did not appoint Hewitt to any ministerial position. She left Parliament in 2010.
Personal Life
Hewitt married William Birtles, a barrister, in 1981. They have a daughter (born 1986) and a son (born 1988).
