Barbara Castle Baroness Castle of Blackburn Politician
Barbara Anne Castle, Baroness Castle of Blackburn PC, GCOT (née Betts, 6 October 1910 – 3 May 2002) was a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Blackburn from 1945 to 1979, making her the longest-serving female MP in the history of the House of Commons, until that record was broken in 2007 by Gwyneth Dunwoody. She later became the Member of the European Parliament for Greater Manchester from 1979 to 1989. One of the most significant Labour Party politicians of the 20th Century, she served in the Cabinet under Prime Minister Harold Wilson in a number of roles, including as Secretary of State for Employment, Secretary of State for Social Services, and First Secretary of State.
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Office holder
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| office | Member of Parliament Member of the European Parliament Minister for Transport Secretary of State for Employment First Secretary of State Minister for Overseas Development Secretary of State for Social Services Shadow Secretary of State for Employment for Blackburn for Greater Manchester |
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