Dean Russell
Dean Russell | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2020 | |
| Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Enterprise and Markets | |
| In office 20 September 2022 – 27 October 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Liz Truss |
| Preceded by | Jane Hunt |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Hollinrake |
| Member of Parliament for Watford | |
| Assumed office 12 December 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Harrington |
| Majority | 4,433 (7.6%) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 May 1976 Birmingham, West Midlands, England[1] |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Alma mater | De Montfort University |
| Website | www |
Dean Russell FRSA (born 8 May 1976) is a British politician and author who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Watford since the 2019 general election.[1][2] A member of the Conservative Party, he briefly served as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Enterprise and Markets from September to October 2022 under Prime Minister Liz Truss.[3][4]
Early life and professional career[edit]
Russell was born in Birmingham and attended Park Hall School in Castle Bromwich.[1] He later graduated with a BSc in Physics and Business Studies and an MPhil in Physics and Material Science at De Montfort University. He then worked in marketing with Bluewave.[5]
Political career[edit]
At the 2015 general election, Russell stood unsuccessfully for Parliament in Luton North, finishing in second with 29.9% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins.[6] He stood unsuccessfully in Luton South at the snap 2017 general election, finishing in second with 32.3% of the vote behind the incumbent Labour MP Gavin Shuker.[7]
Russell stood for election in Watford at the 2019 general election, where he was elected with 45.5% of the vote and a majority of 4,433.[8]
Since being elected, Russell has become a member of the Health & Social Care Select Committee and the Joint Committee on Human Rights.[9] In October 2021, the Speaker of the House Sir Lindsay Hoyle appointed Russell as the Chair of the Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art.[10] In November 2021, he was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.[11]
In June 2021, Russell presented the Tips Bill to Parliament. This bill would prohibit employers retaining tips and gratuities intended for staff and make provision about the division of tips and gratuities between staff. The bill was withdrawn before its Second Reading.[12] In June 2022, after the Business Minister, Paul Scully, reassured Russell in Parliament that the UK Government would still support his bill,[13] Russell presented the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill to Parliament. The bill was immediately granted a second reading in the House of Commons on 15 July 2022.[14]
Between 2019 and 2021, Russell sat on the public committee during the committee stage of the Telecommunications (Security) Bill on its passage through the House of Commons; it was given royal assent on 17 November 2021.[15]
In March 2021, Russell presented the First-Aid (Mental Health) Bill under the Ten Minute Rule in a failed attempt to change the law to make it compulsory for mental health first-aid to be in every workplace.[16] He attempted to reintroduce the bill in January 2023, which was criticized by experts who warned that it was a tick-box exercise and would have negative consequences. Mental Health First Aid England board members wrote a letter to Russell urging that he amend the bill, which he ignored. [17] This second attempt by Russell was also a failure.[18]
Personal life[edit]
He married Michelle in 2004 with whom he has a daughter.[1]
Bibliography[edit]
Russell has written five books.
| Year | Title | Publisher | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Mouse and the Moon Made of Cheese | Far Far Away Books and Media | 978-1-9087-8670-8 |
| 2013 | So Frog | Far Far Away Books and Media | 978-1-9087-8668-5 |
| 2013 | So Gorilla | Far Far Away Books and Media | 978-1-9087-8681-4 |
| 2013 | Is Daddy Home Yet? | Far Far Away Books and Media | 978-1-9087-8678-4 |
| 2019 | How to Win: The Ultimate Professional Pitch Guide | Epifny Consulting | 978-1-9996-0240-6 |
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d "Russell, Dean, (born 8 May 1976), MP (C) Watford, since 2019". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2020. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u294109. ISBN 9780199540884. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ^ "Watford parliamentary constituency – Election 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- ^ "Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Enterprise and Markets) – GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "Dean Russell MP". GOV.UK. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ "Dean Russell". Watford.
- ^ "Election Data 2015". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
- ^ "General election results 2017". m.luton.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
- ^ "Watford Parliamentary constituency". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- ^ Dean Russell MP – Parliamentary Career. UK Parliament.
- ^ Dean Russell MP selected as Chair of the Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art. UK Parliament
- ^ "List of Parliamentary Private Secretaries (PPS): December 2021". GOV.UK. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
- ^ Tips Bill – Private Members' Bill (Presentation Bill). UK Parliament.
- ^ Fairness at Work and Power in Communities – Volume 714: debated on Thursday 12 May 2022. Hansard.
- ^ Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill – Private Members' Bill (Ballot Bill). UK Parliament.
- ^ Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 – Government Bill. UK Parliament.
- ^ First-Aid (Mental Health) Bill – Private Members' Bill (under the Ten Minute Rule). UK Parliament.
- ^ Mental health first aid bill could cause unintended and negative consequences, experts warn
- ^ First-Aid (Mental Health) Bill
