Paul Marsden

Paul Marsden
Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury and Atcham
In office 1 May1997 – 11 April2005
Preceded by	Derek Conway
Succeeded by	Daniel Kawczynski
Personal details
Born	(1968-03-18) 18 March 1968 Frodsham, Cheshire
Nationality	British
Alma mater	Teesside Polytechnic
Occupation	Director of Policy, BUAV

For the Emmerdale character, see Paul Marsden (Emmerdale).

Paul William Barry Marsden (born March 18 1968) is a former British politician, writer, business consultant and currently Director of Policy at 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 UN 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 9/11. 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 would not 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 did not 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
• 2003-04 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 Health Bill Standing Committee - Member
• 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)
• 'Cancer Care Bill' 1999, resulting in the first Cancer Care directory of services for patients
• 'Health Care Standards for Elderly People Bill' 2000, resulting in 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 (not including those sent direct to No 10 or Ministers)

28 Mar 2001 : Hansard Column 1077 2,281 signatures In support of Shrewsbury Town Fotball Club's new stadium; the New Meadow

19 Apr 2000 : Hansard Column 1072 1,176 signatures In support of 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 Calling for support for rural road hauliers affected by the cost of fuel

Post politics - Writer & 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

External links

• - BUAV website
• - Clearwater Special Projects Ltd website
• - Christina Lamb, Journalist & Author website
• - Parliament website
• - Mitel Telecom website
• - Taylor Woodrow website