Tracy Brabin

Brabin was born in Batley in the West Riding of Yorkshire, and educated at Heckmondwike Grammar School. She studied drama at Loughborough University and gained a Master of Arts degree in screenwriting from the London College of Communication of the University of the Arts London in 2001.[2]

Brabin publicly endorsed the Labour Party at the 1997 general election, writing an article for the Labour-supporting Daily Mirror newspaper explaining that her father-in-law had died on a hospital trolley while waiting to see a doctor.[7] In May 1998 she appeared in a Party Political Broadcast for the party appealing for people to join it.[8] Brabin was the lead member of a group of nine actors to write to The Observer explaining that while they continued to oppose the Blair government's military intervention in Iraq, they still "strongly support the re-election of a Labour government".[9] She canvassed for the Labour Party in the Kirklees council election in 2012.[10]

When Jo Cox was selected as Labour candidate for Batley and Spen, Brabin joined her campaign against the closure of libraries in the constituency.[11]

In August 2016, Brabin said that she was considering standing in the Batley and Spen by-election, caused by Cox's murder.[12] On 19 September, she was shortlisted along with Labour activist Jane Thomas.[13] Brabin was selected at a meeting on 23 September.[14] The Conservative Party, Liberal Democrats, Green Party and UKIP did not field candidates as a mark of respect to Cox.[15] On 20 October 2016, Brabin was elected with an increased majority of around 10,000.[16] She was then sworn in on 24 October.[17]

Brabin made her maiden speech in the House of Commons on 2 November, paying tribute to her predecessor, whom she described as "inspirational". The speech won applause from fellow MPs.[18]

Brabin retained the seat in the 2017 general election, with a majority of just under 9,000 over the Conservative Party candidate.[19] On 3 July 2017 she was appointed as Shadow Early Years Minister by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.[20]

Brabin was re-elected as the MP for Batley & Spen in the 2019 General Election, with a majority of 3,525.[21] She was appointed as shadow culture secretary in January 2020 after the previous holder, Tom Watson stood down at the 2019 general election.[22] She was replaced as shadow culture secretary in Keir Starmer's Shadow Front Bench announcement but made Shadow Minister for Cultural Industries.[23]

She is a candidate for the Labour Party nomination for Mayor of West Yorkshire in the 2021 election.[24]

• Official website
• Profile at Parliament of the United Kingdom
• Contributions in Parliament at Hansard
• Voting record at Public Whip
• Record in Parliament at TheyWorkForYou
• Tracy Brabin at IMDb 
• Appearances on C-SPAN