Dawn Butler

Dawn Petula Butler (born 3 November 1969) is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brent Central since May 2015, having sat for Brent South from 2005 to 2010. She has previously served as Minister for Young Citizens and Youth Engagement in the Cabinet Office.

Early life

Butler was born in Forest Gate in East London, to Jamaican immigrant parents into a large family with a sister and four brothers. She worked as an officer of the GMB Union, including time as a national race and equality officer. She was also an adviser to the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone on employment and social issues.

Parliamentary career

Butler's first attempt at entering Parliament was in Hackney South and Shoreditch where she featured on a Labour all-women shortlist but was unsuccessful Butler put herself forward for selection for West Ham but was not selected. Following the retirement of Paul Boateng to become British High Commissioner to South Africa she was selected as the Labour candidate in Brent South and won the subsequent election with a majority of 11,326. She is the third black woman to become a British MP after Diane Abbott and Oona King.