Christine Russell

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Christine Russell MP
Christine Russell
Member of Parliament
for City of Chester
Preceded by Gyles Brandreth
Majority 917 (2.0%)
Born 25 March 1945 (1945-03-25) (age 63)
Holbeach
Nationality British
Political party Labour
Spouse One husband
Relations One sister
Children two daughter, one son, two granchildren
Residence Chester
Occupation PPS
Profession Librarian

Christine Margaret Russell, née Carr (born 25 March 1945, Holbeach) is a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.

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[edit] Early life

She is a Lincolnshire farmer's daughter from South Holland. She was educated at the single-sex Spalding High School. She studied at the Polytechnic of North West London (became the University of North London), then went to the London School of Librarianship. She gained the Professional Librarianship Qualification. She worked as a librarian for the Borough of Camden from 1967-70, the University of Glasgow from 1970-1, and Dunbartonshire County Council from 1971-3. From 1989-94, she worked for some MEPs, then worked for MIND from 1994-7.

[edit] Parliamentary career

Russell is the Member of Parliament for the City of Chester, and Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to Beverley Hughes. She was first elected in 1997, unseating Gyles Brandreth. She won the 2001 and 2005 elections. The Conservatives, first under David Jones (now an MP in Wales) and then Paul Offer, have slashed her majority but failed to regain the seat.

Russell had previously served as Sheriff of Chester in 1992-3 and was expected to be elected as Lord Mayor of Chester had she not been elected to parliament. She was one of three councillors for College Ward on Chester City Council, until she resigned after the 1997 general election.

She has a majority of 917, making Chester one of the Conservative's main targets in the next election and with the council entering Tory hands and the polls showing a swing away from Labour, Ms Russell's days as Chester's MP might be numbered.

[edit] Personal life

She married Dr James Russell in 1971 in Hampstead. They have a son and daughter and divorced in 1991.

[edit] External links