Catherine Margaret Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland (born 20 March 1956) is a BritishLabour politician who is currently serving as the European Trade Commissioner; formerly, she served both as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council. On 19th November 2009, it was reported that Baroness Ashton had been appointed as the firstHigh Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.[1] Ashton studied economics at the University of London. Between 1977 and 1979 Ashton worked at the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and was later elected as its national treasurer and subsequently as one of its vice-chairs. As of 1983 she worked for the Social Work Training Council.[2] From 1983-89 she was Director of Business in the Community working with business to tackle inequality, and established the Employers’ Forum on Disability, Opportunity Now, and the Windsor Fellowship. She chaired the Health Authority in Hertfordshire from 1998 to 2001, and her children's school governing body, and became a Vice President of the National Council for One Parent Families. Ashton has 2 children and 3 stepchildren. She was made a life peer as Baroness Ashton of Upholland in 1999. In June 2001 she was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Education and Skills. In 2002 she was appointed minister for Sure Start in the same department. In September 2004, she was made a Parliamentary Under-Secretary in the Department for Constitutional Affairs, with responsibilities including the National Archives and the Public Guardianship Office. Lady Ashton of Upholland was sworn of the Privy Council in 2006, and became Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the new Ministry of Justice in May 2007. On 28 June 2007 the new Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, appointed her to the Cabinet as Leader of the House of Lords and Lord President of the Council.[3] On 3 October 2008, she was nominated as the UK's European Commissioner in the European Commission. In November 2009, she became the first EU foreign minister. Ashton's 2007 biography at the Department for Constitutional Affairs does not include any instance of her standing for election to public office.[4] In 2006 she won "Politician of the Year" at the annual Stonewall Awards. On 3 October 2008, she was nominated to replace Peter Mandelson as the UK's European Commissioner in Brussels. Under Article 213 of theTreaty establishing the European Community as amended, Commissioners must not engage in any other occupation during their term of office, whether gainful or not.[5] To enable Ashton to take up her position legally, she used the procedural device used in 1984 for Lord Cockfield[6] and took a leave of absence from the House of Lords on 14 October 2008,[7] retaining the peerage but not the position.[8] Her appointment as Trade Commissioner was scrutinised by the European Parliament. She was criticised by Daniel Hannan, a ConservativeMEP, on the basis that she "has no background in trade issues at a time when the EU is engaged in critical negotiations with Canada, Korea and the WTO".[9] However, following her public confirmation hearing by the Trade Committee of the European Parliament, Ashton was approved by the Parliament on 22 October 2008 with 538 to 40 votes, and 63 abstentions.[10] Ashton's appointment as European Commissioner is subject to Council approval by qualified majority under Article 215 of the Treaty establishing the European Community as amended.[5] Lady Ashton lives in St Albans with her husband, Peter Kellner, the President of YouGov, and their children.[11]Catherine Ashton, Baroness Ashton of Upholland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article documents a current election. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. The Right Honourable
The Baroness Ashton of Upholland
PC
Incumbent Assumed office
3 October 2008President José Manuel Barroso Preceded by Peter Mandelson In office
27 June 2007 – 3 October 2008Prime Minister Gordon Brown Preceded by The Baroness Amos Succeeded by The Baroness Royall of Blaisdon Born 20 March 1956
Upholland, LancashireNationality British Political party Labour Spouse(s) Peter Kellner Residence St Albans, Hertfordshire Contents
[hide][edit]Pre-1999
[edit]Ten Year Career Since 1999
[edit]Catherine Ashton in the European institutions
[edit]European Commission
[edit]European Parliament
[edit]European Councils
[edit]Personal life
[edit]References
[edit]External links
[edit]Offices held
Political offices Preceded by
The Baroness AmosLeader of the House of Lords
2007–2008Succeeded by
The Baroness Royall of BlaisdonLord President of the Council
2007–2008Preceded by
The Lord MandelsonEuropean Commissioner from the United Kingdom
2008–presentIncumbent European Commissioner for Trade
2008–present[hide] 1 = President. 2 = Vice President. 3 = Served from 1 January 2007. 4 = Vassiliou replaced Kyprianou on 3 March 2008. 5 = Tajani replaced Frattini on 18 June 2008. 6 = Ashton replaced Mandelson on 3 October 2008. 7 = Šemeta replaced Grybauskaitė on 1 July 2009. 8 = Samecki replaced Hübner on 4 July 2009. 9 = De Gucht replaced Michel on 17 July 2009. 10 = Šefčovič replaced Figeľ on 1 October 2009.
Thursday, 19 November 2009
O. M G WHAT A FARCE WHAT A FARCE THE COMEDIANS ARE IN CHARGE OF THE LUNATIC ASYLUM!
Barroso Commission (2004–2009)
Joaquín Almunia · Catherine Ashton6 · José Manuel Barroso1 · Jacques Barrot2 · Joe Borg · Karel De Gucht9 · Stavros Dimas · Benita Ferrero-Waldner · Ján Figeľ10 ·Franco Frattini2, 5 · Mariann Fischer Boel · Dalia Grybauskaitė7 · Danuta Hübner8 · Siim Kallas2 · László Kovács · Neelie Kroes · Meglena Kuneva3 · Markos Kyprianou4 ·Peter Mandelson6 · Charlie McCreevy · Louis Michel9 · Leonard Orban3 · Andris Piebalgs · Janez Potočnik · Viviane Reding · Olli Rehn · Paweł Samecki8 ·Maroš Šefčovič10 · Algirdas Šemeta7 · Vladimír Špidla · Antonio Tajani2, 5 · Androulla Vassiliou4 · Günter Verheugen2 · Margot Wallström2
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