**Political Career and Positions Held**:
– Alan Johnson’s parliamentary career started in 1997 when he stood for parliament in Hull West and Hessle.
– He held various ministerial posts, including Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Education, Skills, Health, and Home Secretary.
– Johnson served as Shadow Chancellor in Ed Miliband’s first shadow cabinet.
– Advocated for policies such as improving teachers’ pay and conditions, electoral reform, and tackling the deficit by seeking additional contributions from bankers.
**Leadership and Political Ambitions**:
– Johnson was a potential candidate for Leader of the Labour Party in 2006 but stood for deputy leader in 2006 and narrowly lost.
– Speculation arose about his candidacy for London Mayor in 2010 and 2016, but he chose not to stand.
– Expressed support for electoral reform, specifically the Alternative Vote Plus system, and was actively involved in the Yes! to Fairer Votes campaign.
– Criticized the perception of Labour’s link with trade unions as a liability and emphasized the need to avoid looking like a transaction with unions.
**Views on Brexit and Labour Party**:
– Johnson labeled Brexiteers as extremists and led the Labour In For Britain pro-EU group.
– Criticized Corbyn’s leadership and called for relentless rebellion against him to recapture the Labour Party.
– Supported Labour in power, except under Corbyn, stressing the need for a change in leadership.
**Publications, Writing, and Personal Life**:
– Authored books such as ‘This Boy,’ ‘Please, Mister Postman,’ ‘The Long and Winding Road,’ and ‘In My Life: A Music Memoir.’
– Received awards for his literary works, including the Ondaatje prize and Orwell political writing prize.
– Became Chancellor of the University of Hull and expressed pop star ambitions.
– Faced personal challenges, including the end of his marriage due to his wife’s affair with a police bodyguard.
**Media Presence and Public Opinion**:
– Featured on ‘The Masked Singer’ and received accolades for his literary works.
– Criticized Corbyn’s leadership capabilities and supported Labour in power, except under Corbyn.
– Commented on his pop star aspirations and remained active in the public eye through various media appearances.
Alan Arthur Johnson (born 17 May 1950) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Education and Skills from 2006 to 2007, Secretary of State for Health from 2007 to 2009, Home Secretary from 2009 to 2010, and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2010 to 2011. A member of the Labour Party, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle from 1997 to 2017.
Alan Johnson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Home Secretary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 5 June 2009 – 11 May 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Jacqui Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Theresa May | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secretary of State for Health | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 28 June 2007 – 5 June 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Patricia Hewitt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Andy Burnham | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secretary of State for Education and Skills | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 5 May 2006 – 27 June 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Ruth Kelly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Ed Balls | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secretary of State for Trade and Industry President of the Board of Trade | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 6 May 2005 – 5 May 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Patricia Hewitt | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Alistair Darling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 8 September 2004 – 6 May 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Andrew Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | David Blunkett | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister for Higher Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 13 June 2003 – 8 September 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Margaret Hodge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Kim Howells | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chancellor of the University of Hull | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office 1 July 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vice Chancellor | Dave Petley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Virginia Bottomley | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of Parliament for Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1 May 1997 – 3 May 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Stuart Randall (Hull West) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Emma Hardy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Alan Arthur Johnson 17 May 1950 London, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Labour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse(s) | Judith Cox Laura Patient Carolyn Burgess | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence(s) | East Riding of Yorkshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Official website | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Johnson served in the Cabinet during both the Tony Blair government and that of Gordon Brown. He served under Blair as Minister of State for Universities from 2003 to 2004, as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from 2004 to 2005, and as President of the Board of Trade from 2005 to 2006.
In May 2023, Johnson was announced as the next Chancellor of the University of Hull. He succeeded Virginia Bottomley in July.