The Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP

Alan Johnson was educated at Sloane Grammar School in Chelsea, before becoming a postman in 1968.  He has been involved in representing employees at local and national level since 1976, and was the General Secretary of the UCW 1993-1995 and Joint General Secretary of the CWU from 1995-1997.

Alan Johnson was a Member of the General Council TUC 1994-1995 and a member of the Labour Party NEC 1995-1997.

He was elected MP for Kingston-upon-Hull West and Hessle in 1997 and was also a member of the Trade and Industry Select Committee 1997.  He was previously Parliamentary Private Secretary to Dawn Primarolo MP, the Paymaster General, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Competitiveness at the DTI and most recently Minister of State for Employment Relations and Regions at the DTI.

Alan Johnson was appointed Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education in June 2003.