Red Princes and Princesses: Labour grandees' offspring are following in their parents' footsteps
Sunday 23 December 2012
Related articles
Tony Blair fuelled speculation last week that his eldest son Euan is to follow him into Westminster politics by revealing he had advised his son he needed "passion" to be an MP.
If, as expected, the younger Mr Blair attempts to run for Parliament at the 2015 election, he joins a band of Red Princes – and Princesses – who are trying to emulate their famous Labour parents.
While the Conservatives have the Gummers (John and son Ben), the Johnsons (brothers Boris and Jo) and the Hurds (Douglas and son Nick), Labour has arguably the strongest dynastic traditions, including Margaret Jay and her prime minister father, Jim Callaghan, and the Benn family.
Mr Blair told a lunch of political journalists last week: "Don't do it unless you feel it as a vocation. I tried 10 times to become a Member of Parliament and failed to win various selections. I was absolutely determined that nothing was going to stop me. Politics is something you should never do unless it's absolutely passionate within you."
Euan Blair, 28, son of Tony Blair
Key relatives Dad is former prime minister Tony Blair, mum Cherie.
Ambitions Rumoured to be vying for Coventry North West seat of Geoffrey Robinson.
CV Currently working at a Coventry employment agency, Sarina Russo Job Access. Before that he worked at bankers Morgan Stanley, and has been quietly active in the Labour Party, attending fundraisers and party conference receptions. At the age of 16, he became the most famous drunken teenager in the country when he was caught "incapable" in Leicester Square after celebrating the end of his GCSEs.
Could Blair the Younger have picked an easier seat? The incumbent, Mr Robinson, is a long-term ally of Gordon Brown.
Emily Benn, 23, granddaughter of Tony Benn
Key relatives Grandfather is veteran Labour politician Tony Benn; uncle is frontbencher Hilary Benn.
Ambitions After trying and failing to win a seat in 2010, does she want to try again?
CV Benn was selected as Labour's candidate for the 2010 election for East Worthing, and Shoreham in September 2007, three weeks before her 18th birthday. She came third. Now on a graduate training programme at UBS Investment Bank.
Joe Dromey, 27, son of Harriet Harman
Key relatives Harriet Harman, Labour deputy leader, is his mother; dad is Jack Dromey MP.
Ambitions Said to be eyeing up Lewisham Deptford.
CV Works for an employment charity. Used to be a policy adviser for Newham council, east London, and was an assistant to a Labour MP.
Will Straw, 32, son of Jack Straw
Key relatives Father is Jack Straw.
Ambitions Has declared an interest in Rossendale and Darwen.
CV Associate director at IPPR think tank. He told the Lancashire Telegraph: "Fighting, and hopefully winning, the seat would be a satisfying and rewarding challenge."
Andy Sawford, 36, son of Phil Sawford
Key relatives Dad is Phil Sawford, until 2005 the MP for Kettering, the next-door seat to Corby.
Ambitions Last month won Corby by-election for Labour, replacing departing MP Louise Mensch.
CV Before Corby he was chief executive of the Local Government Information Unit, a trustee of the Centre for Public Scrutiny and a councillor in Dartford, Kent.
Georgia Gould, 26, daughter of Philip Gould
Key relatives The late Philip Gould, one of the founders of New Labour, was her father. Random House supremo Gail Rebuck is her mother.
Ambitions Thought to be interested in going for a south-east seat.
CV Straight out of Oxford, Gould put herself forward for the Labour selection for Erith and Thamesmead in 2009. Her attempt sparked cries of nepotism, and she failed to get selected. But she is thought to be still interested in going for a seat next time.
From the blogs
Savile, Leveson and the Olympics: The stories that made the headlines in 2012
This year has been an interesting one to say the least and we have witnessed a lot. The year the May...
“Mayan apocalypse: are there any facts behind this doomsday scenario? (No)”
An unusual example of a Headline Which Answers Its Own Question in the Guardian's US News Blog, spot...
What television programme would you watch before the end of the world?
Today could have been the end of the world as we know it… which would have been a right pain in the ...
Living with postnatal depression: ‘I felt terrified of motherhood and had no love for my baby’
Depression - I never believed in this word, especially not postnatal depression, how could anyone be...
-
After the slaughter at Sandy Hook school, America's firearms debate intensifies
-
Red Princes and Princesses: Labour grandees' offspring are following in their parents' footsteps
-
News in Pictures
-
Rage at brutal rape erupts in India
-
Chechnya: Russia closes paper after journalists laugh at Vladimir Putin
- 1 MORE guns in schools: NRA’s plan to thwart the next Lanza
- 2 It's been one year since I stopped washing my hair
- 3 Lostprophets express 'shock' at bandmate Ian Watkins' arrest on child sex charges
- 4 Chechnya: Russia closes paper after journalists laugh at Vladimir Putin
- 5 Alex Ferguson to look into small print of Cristiano Ronaldo's contract
Win flights to New Orleans
Experience everything on offer in one of America's prettiest and most hospitable cities.
Discover the majesty of El Hierro
So this is how Europe ends: with raw, magnificent beauty. By Simon Calder
Experience the Heineken Hub
Get free wi-fi and exclusive i content while you enjoy a tasty pint of Heineken at participating pubs.
How Cisco is nurturing British innovation
Cisco is doing all it can to support and accelerate high-tech innovation across the UK.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Comments