Claire Margaret Ward (born 9 May 1972) is a politician in the United Kingdom. She is Labour Party Member of Parliament for Watford. She is currently a Government Whip and Lord Commissioner of HM Household. May 9 is the 129th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (130th in leap years). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... The Labour Party has since its formation in the early 20th century been the principal left wing political party in the United Kingdom (see British politics). ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ... Watford is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... In politics, a whip is a member of a political party in a legislature whose task is to ensure that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ...

Although born in North Shields, Ward was brought up in Elstree and studied at the University of Hertfordshire. She was an active member of Young Labour and took the Young Labour place on the Labour Party National Executive Committee in 1995. She was also elected to Elstree and Borehamwood Parish Council where she became Mayor. She was elected to Parliament in 1997, succeeding former Deputy Chief Whip Tristan Garel-Jones who retired, and defeating Robert Gordon of the Conservative Party. Her election was notable in that she was only 24, although she was not quite the youngest MP - being beaten by a few weeks by Christopher Leslie who unexpectedly won Shipley. In 2001 she retained her seat by 5,792 votes. Map sources for North Shields at grid reference NZ3568 North Shields is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North East England. ... Elstree is a small village in Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire on the A5, north of London. ... The University of Hertfordshire is a modern university based largely in Hatfield, in the county of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, from which the university takes its name. ... Young Labour is all members of the British Labour party under the age of 26. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Borehamwood is a town in southern Hertfordshire, just outside London, and part of the London commuter belt. ... The UK general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997. ... The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires. ... Tristan Garel-Jones, Baron Garel-Jones, PC, is a politician in the United Kingdom. ... The Conservative Party is the largest political party on the right-of-centre in the United Kingdom and the most successful party in political history based on election victories. ... The Baby of the House is the unofficial moniker given to the youngest member of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Christopher Michael Leslie (28 June 1972) is a British politician. ... Shipley is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The UK general election, 2001 was held on 7 June 2001 and was dubbed the quiet landslide by the media. ...

The increasing dominance of local politics in Watford Borough council by the Liberal Democrats, including the election of a Liberal Democrat Mayor, led to speculation that Ward would find re-election extremely difficult. However, she demonstrated her personal popularity by retaining the seat in the 2005 general election with a majority of over 1,000 (2.3% of the electorate) over the Liberal Democrat candidate. The Conservative candidate was narrowly forced into third place, making Watford a three way marginal seat. Watford is a town and district (styled as a borough due to the historical charter granted by Henry VIII) in Hertfordshire located 15. ... The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 and won by the Labour Party, led by Tony Blair. ...

External links

• Guardian Unlimited Politics - Ask Aristotle: Claire Ward MP
• TheyWorkForYou.com - Claire Ward MP