Steve Ladyman - Biography
Steve came to live in South Thanet to work for Pfizer in 1990, and fell in love with the area. He was moved by the dereliction and areas of deprivation that
he saw in places that have a great history and set about doing something to put things right.
In 1995 he became a Thanet Councillor and was appointed as Chairman of Finance. He was credited over the next two years with rebuilding Thanet’s finances
and he and his colleagues created the foundation for Thanet’s regeneration.
In 1997 he was elected as the MP for South Thanet, defeating ex-cabinet minister Jonathan Aitken. He also remained on Thanet Council until
1999.
Steve is very much a 'constituency' MP and works closely with Thanet and Dover Councils, Kent County Council and the other public bodies to drive forward
the regeneration of South Thanet. He visits local businesses, farms, voluntary bodies, schools and other local organisations every week to make sure that he stays in touch with their
needs.
He and his family live in the constituency and his parliamentary office and all his staff are based there.
He made his maiden speech in 1997 in an agriculture debate and raised the particular problems facing Kent farmers. He has continued to take an interest in
Kent farming and became an officer of the All Party British Fruit Group. Before 2003, as a backbench MP In the House of Commons, he also took a particular interest in Health, Science, Economic
policy and Energy (including nuclear power). He served on the Environment, Transport, and Regions select committee and its Transport Sub-Committee from 1999-2001.
Steve is probably best known in Parliament for his special interest in Autism, and he Chaired the all-party group on Autism, which he helped to set up,
until he was made a minister in 2003.
( Steve pictured above with The Stig when he appeared on BBCs Top Gear. Steve beat Jeremy Clarkson's time for the celebrity lap. )
After the 2001 General Election Steve Ladyman became Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for the Armed Forces (Rt Hon Adam Ingram MP). He was
also appointed as ‘Liaison MP’ for the Netherlands and became Chair of the British Dutch All Party Group.
In 2003 Steve was made the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Community in the Department of Health and from 2005 to 2007 he was Minister of State
for Transport.
Steve is now Vice Chair of the Labour Party with particular responsibility for campaigning in the South East.
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