Shaun Woodward

Shaun Woodward
Woodward in 2009
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office
28 June 2007 – 11 May 2010
Prime MinisterGordon Brown
Preceded byPeter Hain
Succeeded byOwen Paterson
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Creative Industries and Tourism
In office
10 May 2006 – 28 June 2007
Prime MinisterTony Blair
Preceded byJames Purnell
Succeeded byMargaret Hodge
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In office
6 May 2005 – 10 May 2006
Prime MinisterTony Blair
Preceded byBarry Gardiner
Succeeded byMaria Eagle
Member of Parliament
for St Helens South and Whiston
St Helens South (2001–2010)
In office
7 June 2001 – 30 March 2015
Preceded byGerry Bermingham
Succeeded byMarie Rimmer
Member of Parliament
for Witney
In office
1 May 1997 – 14 May 2001
Preceded byDouglas Hurd
Succeeded byDavid Cameron
Shadow Cabinet portfolios
2010–2011Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Personal details
Born
Shaun Anthony Woodward

(1958-10-26) 26 October 1958 (age 66)
Bristol, England
Political partyLabour (since 1999)
Other political
affiliations
Conservative (before 1999)
Spouse
Camilla Sainsbury
(m. 1987; sep. 2015)
Domestic partnerLuke Redgrave
Children4 (including Ella)
Alma materJesus College, Cambridge
Harvard University

Shaun Anthony Woodward (born 26 October 1958) is a British politician who served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland from 2007 to 2010.

A former television researcher and producer, Woodward began his political career in the Conservative Party. He was elected in 1997 as Conservative MP for Witney, but joined Labour in 1999. He then served as Labour MP for St Helens South from 2001 to 2015.

After serving in junior ministerial offices in the Northern Ireland Office and Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Woodward served in the cabinet from 28 June 2007 to 11 May 2010 as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Following the 2010 general election, Woodward was the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland until 7 October 2011, when he was replaced by Vernon Coaker.