Christine Russell

Christine Margaret Russell (née Carr, born 25 March 1945, Holbeach, Lincolnshire) is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the City of Chester since 1997.

Early life

She is a Lincolnshire farmer's daughter from South Holland. She was educated at the single-sex Spalding High School. She studied at the Polytechnic of North West London (became the University of North London), then went to the London School of Librarianship. She gained the Professional Librarianship Qualification. She worked as a librarian for the Borough of Camden from 1967-70, the University of Glasgow from 1970-1, and Dunbartonshire County Council from 1971-3. From 1989-94, she worked for some MEPs, then worked for MIND from 1994-7.

Parliamentary career

Russell is the Member of Parliament for the City of Chester, and Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Beverley Hughes. She was first elected in 1997, unseating Gyles Brandreth. She won the 2001 and 2005 elections. The Conservatives have slashed her majority but failed to regain the seat. She will face local Councillor and businessman Stephen Mosley at the General Election that must be called before May 2010.

Russell had previously served as Sheriff of Chester in 1992-3 and was expected to be elected as Lord Mayor of Chester had she not been elected to parliament. She was one of three councillors for College Ward on Chester City Council, until she resigned after the 1997 general election.

She has a majority of 915. ^[1]

Personal life

She married Dr James Russell in 1971 in Hampstead. They have a son and daughter and divorced in 1991.

External links

• Chester Labour
• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Christine Russell MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Christine Russell MP
• BBC Politics page

References

1. ^ http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/christine_russell/chester,_city_of Christine Russell, MP (TheyWorkForYou.com)