15 Facts About Hilary Armstrong

Hilary Armstrong was first elected as Durham County Councillor for Crook North Division in 1985.

Hilary Armstrong was shortlisted for the vacant Sedgefield constituency in 1983, only to lose out to Tony Blair, who went on to be elected MP.

Hilary Armstrong was parliamentary private secretary to John Smith during his time as Labour leader, and played a large part in his successful fight to institute One member, one vote at Labour's party conference.

Hilary Armstrong was seen as a politician on the right of the Labour Party, and was close politically to her near neighbour Tony Blair and the New Labour agenda.

Hilary Armstrong spent two years as Minister for Housing and Planning and four years as Minister for Local Government in the Department for the Environment, Transport, and the Regions and then the Department for Transport, Local Government, and the Regions, before being promoted into the Cabinet of the United Kingdom as Chief Whip after the 2001 election.

Hilary Armstrong faced criticism after government defeats in the Commons over the length of time suspected terrorists could be detained without charge, and incitement to religious hatred provisions in the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005.

Press commentators speculated that in losing these votes through miscalculating government support, and in one instance letting the Prime Minister off the "Whip" because she believed the vote was won, Hilary Armstrong's position had become vulnerable.

On 5 May 2006 Hilary Armstrong was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Minister for Social Exclusion.

In 2006, Hilary Armstrong launched a petition on behalf of the Bethnal Green and Bow Labour Party against Labour turned Respect MP George Galloway's participation in Channel 4's Celebrity Big Brother.

Hilary Armstrong criticised Galloway for being paid as an MP during the time he was in the Big Brother house.

Hilary Armstrong formally resigned from the government on 27 June 2007 when Tony Blair resigned as Prime Minister, she was succeeded by Ed Miliband the following day.

On 4 July 2009, Hilary Armstrong announced her intention to stand down at the 2010 general election.

Hilary Armstrong was interviewed in 2014 as part of The History of Parliament's oral history project.

Hilary Armstrong is a member of the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill.

Hilary Armstrong is a member of Labour Friends of Israel.