Leader of the House of Commons (and Lord Privy Seal); Minister for Women; and Labour Party Chair

The Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP

Harriet Harman was appointed Leader of the House of Commons, Minister for Women and Labour Party Chair in June 2007, as part of Gordon Brown's first Cabinet. She had been voted Deputy Leader of the Labour Party a few days before.

Previously, she was a Minister of State at the Ministry of Justice. She has also been Secretary of State for Social Security (1997-1998) and the first female Solicitor General (2001-2005).

Ms Harman was born in London in 1950 and later went to university in York. After qualifying as a lawyer, she worked at Brent Law Centre in London, before becoming legal officer at the National Council for Civil Liberties. Ms Harman was elected MP for Camberwell and Peckham following a by-election in 1982.

She became Labour spokesperson for Social Services in 1984, and then Health in 1987. After the 1992 General Election, she was promoted to Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, then Shadow Secretary of State for Health.