Paul Marsden Totally Explained

Everything about Paul Marsden totally explained

Paul William Barry Marsden (born March 18 1968) is a former British politician, writer, business consultant and currently Director of Policy at the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV).

Background

Paul William Barry Marsden was born on 18th March 1968 at 40 Queensway, Frodsham in Cheshire and educated at Helsby High School, Mid-Cheshire College, Teesside Polytechnic, the Open University and Newcastle College. Prior to his political career, he worked in quality assurance and management consultancy at Taylor Woodrow, NatWest Bank and Mitel Telecom.

Member of Parliament and Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister

He was the Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury and Atcham from the 1997 to 2005 and was known for his outspoken, anti-war views and for twice switching his political party affiliation. He was a member of the Labour Party from 1983 to 2001, member of the Liberal Democrats from 2001 to 2005 and a Labour supporter in 2005.
   Marsden was first elected at the 1997 general election as a Labour candidate in a seat which had never previously been held by Labour, and retained it at the 2001 election. He defected to the Liberal Democrats in December 2001, after robust confrontations with Labour whips over his opposition to military action in Afghanistan and civilian casualties. By crossing the floor of the House of Commons, his actions contributed to a parliamentary vote being granted before the 2003 Iraq war.
   In 2001, he visited Pakistan and the Afghan border to highlight the plight of Afghan refugees living in camps who had fled the war. Marsden also negotiated the release of Christina Lamb and her photographer who had been arrested and held by the Pakistan Police and intelligence services. In 2002, he visited Malawi to turn the media spotlight on the southern African famine. Later he travelled to Johannesburg to raise the increasing number of famine deaths at a United Nations conference. In 2003 prior to the war in Iraq war, he visited the USA and laid a Union flag and wreath in commemoration of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. He was appointed Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Health in 2002 and Shadow Transport Minister in 2003.
   In July 2004 Marsden announced that he was retiring from politics and wouldn't contest the May 2005 general election. On April 5 2005, within hours of the start of the election campaign, Marsden announced his intention to rejoin the Labour Party, stating that although he still disagreed with the government over the war and levels of investment in public services, he could better make his points from within the Party and didn't want to see Labour MPs who shared his views lose their seats. He later apologised to Liberal Democrat supporters for leaving the party. He was the first British politician since Winston Churchill to re-cross the floor of the House of Commons.
   The subsequent Labour candidate in Shrewsbury and Atcham, Michael Ion, lost the seat in the 2005 general election to the Conservative,Daniel Kawczynski.
   Over eight years as MP, Marsden raised over £10K for local and international charities through sponsored marathon running, abseiling and swimming.

Parliamentary positions

1997-present Inter-Parliamentary Union All Party Group - Associate Life Member
2004-05 All Party Parliamentary Entrepreneurship Group - Secretary
2001-05 Director of Shrewsbury CAB - Non-Executive
2004 Mental Health Bill Scrutiny Committee - Member
2003-05 All Party Parliamentary Infertility Group - Secretary
2003-04 Transport Select Committee - Member
2003-04 Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Minister
2003-04 All Party Parliamentary Road Safety Group - Joint Chair
2003-05 British-Chinese All Party Parliamentary Group - Treasurer
2002-03 Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Minister
2002 All Party Group for Peace and Conflict Resolution - Chair
2000-01 Equal Access to Cancer Care Parliamentary Committee - Chair
1999-05 All Party Kidney Heath Group - Secretary
1999 Health Bill Standing Committee - Member
1998-05 Shropshire & Wrekin M.E. Support Group - Patron
1998 All Party Parliamentary Management Group - Chair
1997-01 Agriculture Select Committee - Member

Parliamentary Bills

'Access to the Countryside draft Bill' 1999, supporting voluntary access to the countryside (withdrawn following introduction of Government's Right to Roam Bill)

'Cancer Care Bill' 1999, resulting in a comprehensive Cancer Care directory of services for patients

'Health Care Standards for Elderly People Bill' 2000, contributing to a new government initiative to tackle age discrimination against pensioners in hospitals

'Doorstep Recycling Bill' 2001, to provide for doorstep recycling by local authorities

'Prescriptions Bill' 2002, to provide free prescriptions for the chronically ill

Parliamentary petitions

Marsden's Parliamentary petitions, not including those sent directly to No. 10 Downing Street or to Ministers:
28 Mar 2001 : Hansard Column 1077 2,281 signatures Supporting Shrewsbury Town Football Club's new stadium; the New Meadow
   19 Apr 2000 : Hansard Column 1072 1,176 signatures Supporting greater access to fertility treatment on the NHS
   14 Mar 2000 : Hansard Column 273 1,850 signatures Opposing the planned closure of the Lloyds TSB Bank in the rural village of Pontesbury
   9 Mar 1999 : Hansard Column 269 157 signatures Supporting rural road haulier businesses affected by the increasing cost of fuel

Writer and business consultant

After retiring from politics, Marsden researched and published a history book, The Blackfriars of Shrewsbury and returned to business consultancy.
   His consultancy work developed strategic, financial and business plans for SME companies in the security, transport, health and charity sectors. He undertook brand evaluations and strategic reviews that secured £10k to £1 million contracts for clients. He developed health and safety, HR, financial, CRM, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 management systems for companies.
   Marsden worked for Clearwater Special Projects Ltd as their Quality & International Contracts Manager in 2006 and led the approval process which resulted in Clearwater becoming the first bodyguarding company in the UK to be awarded as an 'Approved Contractor' by the Security Industry Authority (SIA). Marsden also secured UN Global Compact accreditation for Clearwater.
   He is an ongoing Business Consultant to a woodland trust in Cheshire.

Director of Policy, BUAV

In 2007, Marsden was appointed Director of Policy at the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection, which peacefully campaigns for an end to animal testing through political lobbying, undercover investigations and approving cruelty free products.
Current campaigns include ending testing on household products and extending the European Cosmetics ban on animal testing around the globe.

Political profiles & letters

- Guardian Politics Ask Aristotle - Paul Marsden

- Daily Telegraph report on Marsden speaking out

- The Times report on Labour Chief Whip and Marsden

- Daily Telegraph letter on prescriptions

- The Times letter on defecting

Further Information

Get more info on 'Paul Marsden'.

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