James Purnell served as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport from 2007 to 2008 and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from 2008 to 2009.
22 Facts About James Purnell
2.
James Purnell resigned from the Government on 4 June 2009, criticising the leadership of Gordon Brown.
3.
James Purnell became the director of the Open Left project for Demos in 2009.
4.
James Purnell chaired the Institute for Public Policy Research until 2010, and was a senior advisor in the Public Sector practice of the Boston Consulting Group.
5.
James Purnell is a film producer, and a former Senior Producer at Rare Day, who produced the film One Mile Away.
6.
In 1997, James Purnell returned to work as a special adviser at Number 10, remaining in the post until 2001.
7.
James Purnell has served as a consultant at Hydra Associates, a board member of the Young Vic theatre as well as of the Royal National Theatre and the British Film Institute, and as a senior advisor to Boston Consulting Group.
8.
James Purnell was selected as the Labour candidate for the seat of Stalybridge and Hyde in 2001, and won the seat in that year's general election with a majority of 8,859.
9.
In 2003, James Purnell became Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ruth Kelly in the Cabinet Office, and in December 2004 he joined the Government as a Whip in the government reshuffle following the resignation of David Blunkett.
10.
In June 2007, James Purnell entered the Cabinet as the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; he was its youngest member.
11.
James Purnell was promoted to Work and Pensions Secretary after the resignation of Peter Hain on 24 January 2008.
12.
James Purnell was one of many MPs involved in political difficulties following the revelations of the 2009 expenses scandal.
13.
James Purnell told the parliamentary authorities that his main home was in Manchester and claimed the "second home" allowance for his flat in London.
14.
On 4 June 2009, James Purnell announced his resignation from the Cabinet, and called upon Gordon Brown to resign as Prime Minister.
15.
James Purnell's resignation came only days after the resignations of Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, whose expenses had been the subject of negative comments, and Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, who had avoided paying capital gains tax on her property.
16.
James Purnell supported David Miliband in the 2010 Labour leadership election and worked for his campaign, although he was offered the job of chief of staff to the new leader of the Labour Party, Ed Miliband, a job he turned down.
17.
James Purnell became linked with the Blue Labour movement within the Labour Party and in April 2011 he was appointed by the Boston Consulting Group as a Special Advisor to their Public Sector Group.
18.
James Purnell called for a National Salary Insurance, a job guarantee and free universal childcare, but said that "freebies" such as Winter Fuel Allowance and free bus passes should not become sacred.
19.
James Purnell did not rule out returning to Parliament in 2015, but declared his support for Ed Miliband and his leadership.
20.
In late September 2016, James Purnell was appointed as the BBC's Director of Radio and Education, in succession to Helen Boaden.
21.
James Purnell took up his new position in late October 2016.
22.
James Purnell left the BBC that year to become president and vice-chancellor of University of the Arts London in spring 2021.