Des Browne

Desmond Henry Browne, Baron Browne of Ladyton (born 22 March 1952) is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Kilmarnock and Loudoun from 1997 to 2010. He was a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, until the latter moved him from both Defence and Scottish Secretary in 2008.

Early life and education

Browne was born in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, lived in Stevenston for the early part of his life, and was educated at the Catholic St Michael's Academy in Kilwinning and later at the University of Glasgow, where he received a degree in law.

Legal career

He started his legal career in 1974 as an apprentice solicitor with the firm James Campbell & Co. On qualifying in 1976 he became an assistant solicitor with Ross, Harper and Murphy, and was promoted to partner in 1980. He became a partner in McCluskey Browne in 1985 and a council member of the Law Society of Scotland 1988-1992. He was admitted as an advocate in 1993, practising at the Scottish bar until 1997. He worked mainly in child law.