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[[Category:Labour Members of Parliament]]
[[Category:Labour Members of Parliament]]
{{Use British English|date=December 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix = [[The Right Honourable]]
|name = Harriet Harman
|honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|QC|MP}}
|image = Harriet Harman MP - official photo 2017.jpg
|caption = Official Parliamentary portrait, June 2017
|office17 = [[Mother of the House|Mother of the House of Commons]]
|term_start17 = 17 April 2008
|term_end17 =
|predecessor17 = [[Gwyneth Dunwoody]]
|successor17 =
|office = [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]]
|monarch = [[Elizabeth II]]
|primeminister = [[David Cameron]]
|term_start = 8 May 2015
|term_end = 12 September 2015
|predecessor = [[Ed Miliband]]
|successor = [[Jeremy Corbyn]]
|monarch1 = [[Elizabeth II]]
|primeminister1 = [[David Cameron]]
|term_start1 = 11 May 2010
|term_end1 = 25 September 2010
|predecessor1 = [[David Cameron]]
|successor1 = [[Ed Miliband]]
|office3 = [[Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Deputy Leader of the Labour Party]]
|leader3 = [[Gordon Brown]]<br>[[Ed Miliband]]
|term_start3 = 24 June 2007
|term_end3 = 12 September 2015
|predecessor3 = [[John Prescott]]
|successor3 = [[Tom Watson (Labour politician)|Tom Watson]]
|office4 = [[Labour Party Chair (2001)|Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party]]
|leader4 = [[Gordon Brown]]<br>[[Ed Miliband]]
|term_start4 = 24 June 2007
|term_end4 = 12 September 2015
|predecessor4 = [[Hazel Blears]]
|successor4 = [[Tom Watson (Labour politician)|Tom Watson]]
{{Collapsed infobox section begin|[[Government]] positions}}
|office5 = [[Leader of the House of Commons]]<br>[[Lord Privy Seal]]
|primeminister5 = [[Gordon Brown]]
|deputy5 = [[Helen Goodman]]<br>[[Chris Bryant]]<br>[[Barbara Keeley]]
|term_start5 = 28 June 2007
|term_end5 = 11 May 2010
|predecessor5 = [[Jack Straw]]
|successor5 = [[Sir George Young|George Young]]
|office6 = [[Minister for Women and Equalities|Minister for Women and Equality]]
|primeminister6 = [[Gordon Brown]]
|term_start6 = 28 June 2007
|term_end6 = 11 May 2010
|predecessor6 = [[Ruth Kelly]]
|successor6 = [[Theresa May]]
|primeminister7 = [[Tony Blair]]
|term_start7 = 3 May 1997
|term_end7 = 27 July 1998<br>[[Minister for Women and Equalities|Minister for Women]]
|predecessor7 = ''Office established''
|successor7 = [[Margaret Jay, Baroness Jay of Paddington|The Baroness Jay of Paddington]]
|office8 = [[Solicitor General for England and Wales]]
|primeminister8 = [[Tony Blair]]
|term_start8 = 11 June 2001
|term_end8 = 10 May 2005
|predecessor8 = [[Ross Cranston]]
|successor8 = [[Mike O'Brien (British politician)|Mike O'Brien]]
|office9 = [[Secretary of State for Work and Pensions|Secretary of State for Social Security]]
|primeminister9 = [[Tony Blair]]
|term_start9 = 3 May 1997
|term_end9 = 27 July 1998
|predecessor9 = [[Peter Lilley]]
|successor9 = [[Alistair Darling]]{{Collapsed infobox section end}} {{Collapsed infobox section begin|[[Shadow Cabinet]] positions}}
|office10 = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport]]
|leader10 = [[Ed Miliband]]
|term_start10 = 8 October 2011
|term_end10 = 11 May 2015
|predecessor10 = [[Ivan Lewis]]
|successor10 = [[Chris Bryant]]
|office11 = [[Shadow First Secretary of State|Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom]]
|leader11 = [[Ed Miliband]]
|term_start11 = 7 October 2010
|term_end11 = 8 May 2015
|predecessor11 = [[Jack Straw]] {{small|(Acting)}}
|successor11 = [[Hilary Benn]] {{small|(Acting [[Shadow First Secretary of State]])}}
|office12 = [[Shadow Secretary of State for International Development]]
|leader12 = [[Ed Miliband]]
|term_start12 = 8 October 2010
|term_end12 = 7 October 2011
|predecessor12 = [[Douglas Alexander]]
|successor12 = [[Ivan Lewis]]
|office13 = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions|Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security]]
|leader13 = [[Tony Blair]]
|term_start13 = 1 July 1996
|term_end13 = 2 May 1997
|predecessor13 = [[Chris Smith, Baron Smith of Finsbury|Chris Smith]]
|successor13 = [[Stephen Dorrell]]
|office14 = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Health]]
|leader14 = [[Tony Blair]]
|term_start14 = 19 October 1995
|term_end14 = 1 July 1996
|predecessor14 = [[Margaret Beckett]]
|successor14 = [[Chris Smith, Baron Smith of Finsbury|Chris Smith]]
|office15 = [[Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions|Shadow Secretary of State for Employment]]
|leader15 = [[Tony Blair]]
|term_start15 = 21 July 1994
|term_end15 = 19 October 1995
|predecessor15 = [[John Prescott]]
|successor15 = [[David Blunkett]] {{small|(Education and Employment)}} {{Collapsed infobox section end}}
|office16 = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]]<br>for [[Camberwell and Peckham (UK Parliament constituency)|Camberwell and Peckham]] <br>{{small|[[Peckham (UK Parliament constituency)|Peckham]] (1982–1997)}}
|term_start16 = 28 October 1982
|term_end16 =
|predecessor16 = [[Harry Lamborn]]
|successor16 =
|majority16 = 37,316 (65%)
|birth_name = Harriet Ruth Harman
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|7|30|df=y}}
|birth_place = [[Marylebone]], [[London]], England
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|spouse = {{marriage|[[Jack Dromey]]|1982}}
|children = 3
|alma_mater = [[University of York]]
|website = {{url|harrietharman.org|Official website}}
}}
'''Harriet Ruth Harman''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|QC}} (born 30 July 1950) is a British [[solicitor]] and [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] politician who has served as the [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] since 1982, first for [[Peckham (UK Parliament constituency)|Peckham]], and then for its successor constituency of [[Camberwell and Peckham (UK Parliament constituency)|Camberwell and Peckham]] since 1997. She has served in various [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]] and [[Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)|Shadow Cabinet]] positions and, in her role as [[Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Deputy Leader of the Labour Party]], she has served as the [[Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Acting Leader of the Labour Party]] twice and [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]]: from May to September 2010 and from May to September 2015; and remains the only politician to have held this position on two separate occasions.

Born in [[London]] to physician [[John B. Harman]] and his wife Anna, a solicitor, Harriet attended [[St Paul's Girls' School]] and obtained a BA in Politics from [[Goodricke College]], [[University of York]]. She qualified as a solicitor and worked for Brent Law Centre from 1978 to 1982, when she was elected MP for [[Peckham (UK Parliament constituency)|Peckham]] in [[Peckham by-election, 1982|a by-election]] following the death of sitting Labour MP [[Harry Lamborn]].

Promoted to the [[Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)|Shadow Cabinet]] by Labour Leader [[John Smith (Labour Party leader)|John Smith]], she served as [[Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury]] (1992–1994) and then as [[Secretary of State for Employment|Shadow Employment Secretary]] (1994–1995), [[Shadow Health Secretary]] (1995–1996) and [[Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions|Shadow Social Security Secretary]] (1996–1997) under Smith's successor, [[Tony Blair]].

Under Blair's leadership, Labour won the [[United Kingdom general election, 1997|1997 general election]] in a landslide, he became [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] and Harman was re-elected for the new constituency of [[Camberwell and Peckham (UK Parliament constituency)|Camberwell and Peckham]]. Blair appointed her as [[Secretary of State for Work and Pensions|Secretary of State for Social Security]] and the first ever [[Minister for Women and Equalities|Minister for Women]], serving until 1998; when she left the [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]]. In 2001, she was appointed [[Solicitor General for England and Wales]], serving until 2005 when she became [[Department for Constitutional Affairs|Minister of State for Constitutional Affairs]].

In 2007, Blair resigned as Prime Minister after ten years and [[John Prescott]] resigned as Deputy Prime Minister and [[Deputy Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Deputy Labour Leader]]. Harman ran in the subsequent [[Labour Party (UK) deputy leadership election, 2007|deputy leadership election]] and defeated five other candidates, ultimately winning over [[Secretary of State for Health]] [[Alan Johnson]] by 50.43% to 49.56%. [[Gordon Brown]], who was [[Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2007|elected as party leader]], appointed Harman [[Leader of the House of Commons]], [[Lord Privy Seal]], [[Minister for Women and Equalities|Minister for Women and Equality]] and [[Labour Party Chair (2001)|Labour Party Chair]]. However she was not appointed Deputy Prime Minister.

She held all of these government positions until Labour lost the [[United Kingdom general election, 2010|2010 general election]]. Upon defeat, Brown resigned as party leader and Harman became [[Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Acting Leader]] and [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]] until [[Ed Miliband]] was [[Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2010|elected leader]]. She subsequently served as [[Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Shadow Deputy Prime Minister]], combining the position with that of [[Shadow Secretary of State for International Development]] (2010–2011) and then [[Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport]] (2011–2015). After Labour's defeat at the [[United Kingdom general election, 2015|2015 general election]], Miliband resigned as Leader of the Labour Party and Harman once again became Acting Leader and Leader of the Opposition. She announced that she would also resign as Deputy Leader, prompting a concurrent [[Labour Party (UK) deputy leadership election, 2015|deputy leadership election]], which was won by [[Tom Watson (Labour politician)|Tom Watson]].

Harman holds the record as the longest-ever continuously-serving female MP in the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/ms-harriet-harman/150|title=Rt Hon Harriet Harman QC MP|publisher=}}</ref><ref name="autogenerated2">{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/government-and-opposition1/opposition-holding/|title=Her Majesty's Official Opposition|work=UK Parliament}}</ref> She is married to former [[trade union]] leader [[Jack Dromey]], who became [[Treasurer of the Labour Party]] in 2004 and MP for [[Birmingham Erdington (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Erdington]] in 2010. They have two sons and a daughter.

==Early life and career==
[[File:St Paul's Girls' School in London W6, spring 2013 (1).JPG|thumb|left|St Paul's Girls' School]]
Harman was born Harriet Ruth Harman at 108 Harley Street in London,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.108harleystreet.co.uk/history/|title=History|author=history|publisher=}}</ref> to Anna Harman (née Spicer), a solicitor, married to a [[Harley Street]] physician [[John B. Harman|John Bishop Harman]].<ref>[http://www.harleystreetguide.com/about/by-numbers/108-harley-street/ "108 Harley Street"], Harley Street Guide</ref> Her parents each had [[non-conformist]] backgrounds – her grandfather, an [[ophthalmic surgeon]] Nathaniel Bishop Harman, was a prominent [[Unitarianism|Unitarian]]<ref>Obituary, ''[[The Times]]'', 8 December 1945</ref> and the Spicer family were well known [[Congregationalist]]s. Her aunt was [[Elizabeth Pakenham, Countess of Longford]], and her cousins include writers [[Lady Antonia Fraser]], [[Rachel Billington]], and [[Thomas Pakenham (historian)|Thomas Pakenham]].<ref>[http://www.burkespeerage.com/ www.burkespeerage.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070715215802/http://www.burkespeerage.com/ |date=15 July 2007 }}</ref> Harman is a great-great niece of [[Joseph Chamberlain]] and is also related to [[Richard Chamberlain (MP for Islington West)|Richard Chamberlain]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/207917124/Keeping-it-in-the-Family |title=Keeping it in the Family |publisher=Scribd.com |accessdate=25 February 2014}}</ref>

Harman attended a fee-paying public school, [[St Paul's Girls' School]] and then gained a [[British undergraduate degree classification|2:1]] BA in Politics from the [[University of York]]. During her time at York, she was a member of Goodricke College and was involved with student politics. After York, Harman went on to qualify as a solicitor.

Harman worked for Brent [[Law Centre]] in London. Between 1978 and 1982, Harman was employed as a legal officer for the [[Liberty (pressure group)|National Council for Civil Liberties]]. In this capacity, and just before becoming MP for Peckham in a by-election in 1982, she was found in [[contempt of court]].<ref>See ''Harman v The Home Office'' (the conviction for contempt being upheld on appeal) [1983] 1 AC 280, 308; {{cite web|url=https://www.scribd.com/doc/19890857/Home-Office-v-Harman-1983-1-AC-280-HL |title=<nowiki>Home Office v. Harman [1983</nowiki>&#93; 1 AC 280 (HL) |publisher=[[Scribd]] |accessdate=12 April 2010}}</ref> Harman subsequently took the case to the [[European Court of Human Rights]], successfully arguing that the prosecution had breached her right to freedom of expression. ''Harman v United Kingdom'' is still considered a significant case in British public law.<ref>{{cite news |last=Verkaik |first=Robert |date=30 December 2002 |title=Harriet Harman: The QC who has learnt to keep her own counsel may yet earn a return to Cabinet |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/harriet-harman-the-qc-who-has-learnt-to-keep-her-own-counsel-may-yet-earn-a-return-to-cabinet-137668.html |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |access-date=26 March 2018}}</ref>

Harman was later involved in a [[European Court of Human Rights]] case against [[MI5]]. During a 1984 television interview by [[Cathy Massiter]], it was revealed personal files were held by [[MI5]] on Harman and on the (by then former-) General Secretary of the NCCL, [[Patricia Hewitt]].<ref name="spies">[[Annie Machon]], ''Spies, Lies and Whistleblowers: MI5, MI6 and the Shayler Affair'', [[Book Guild]], May 2005, {{ISBN|1-85776-952-X}} (hbk); ''[[The Guardian]]'', 21 February 1985; ''20/20 Vision'' ([[Channel 4]], 1985)</ref> They successfully argued that there had been an infringement of their rights because MI5 was not a legally constituted and democratically accountable organisation, this being the minimum standard in democracy.<ref name=spies /> The success of the case led to enactment of the [[Security Service Act 1989]].<ref name=spies />

==Opposition Member of Parliament==
[[Harry Lamborn]], the Labour MP for [[Peckham (UK Parliament constituency)|Peckham]], died on 21 August 1982. In the subsequent [[Peckham by-election, 1982|by-election]] held on 28 October 1982, Harman was elected to succeed Lamborn with 11,349 votes (50.34%), a majority of 3,931 over [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|Social Democratic]] candidate [[Dick Taverne]], a former Labour MP for [[Lincoln (UK Parliament constituency)|Lincoln]]. The [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] candidate was [[John Redwood]], who came third, and went on to be elected MP for [[Wokingham (UK Parliament constituency)|Wokingham]] in 1987.

In 1984, Harman became a Shadow Social Services minister and served as a Shadow Health minister in 1987. After the [[United Kingdom general election, 1992|1992 general election]] she entered the [[Official Opposition Shadow Cabinet (United Kingdom)|Shadow Cabinet]] as [[Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury]] (1992–1994) and later served as [[Secretary of State for Employment|Shadow Employment Secretary]] (1994–1995), [[Shadow Health Secretary]] (1995–1996) and [[Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions|Shadow Social Security Secretary]] (1996–1997).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/politics97/background/frontbench/socsec.shtml|title=Social Security Secretary; Minister for Women – Harriet Harman|work=BBC Political Research Unit|publisher=[[BBC]]|year=1997|accessdate=30 September 2008}}</ref>

==Labour in Government==

===Tony Blair as PM===
After Labour's victory in the [[United Kingdom general election, 1997|1997 general election]], she became [[Secretary of State for Social Security]] and the first ever [[Minister for Women and Equalities|Minister for Women]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6918188.stm |title=Harman made equalities secretary |publisher=[[BBC News]] | date=26 July 2007 |access-date=5 January 2010}}</ref> She was given the task of reforming the Welfare State. During this time, her more notable policies included introducing a minimum income guarantee and winter fuel payments for the elderly. It was later ruled that the fuel payments policy breached European [[sex discrimination]] laws in that men had to wait five years longer to receive them than women.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/567208.stm |title=Winter fuel payments 'sexist' |publisher=BBC News |date=16 December 1999 |accessdate=12 April 2010}}</ref> The policy was amended so both sexes qualified at age 60.

Harman was sacked from the position in 1998. According to many in the media, this was the result of a series of public rows with junior minister [[Frank Field (UK politician)|Frank Field]], though others also cited her decision to cut benefits to lone parents as a factor.<ref name="timesonline.co.uk">[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5780320.ece Profile: Harriet Harman] ''The Times'', 22 February 2009</ref> Harman voted with the party on all but a few instances during its period in government.

Harman made a return to the front bench after the [[United Kingdom general election, 2001|2001 general election]], with her appointment to the office of [[Solicitor General for England and Wales|Solicitor General]], thus becoming the first female Solicitor General. In accordance with convention, she was appointed as [[Queen's Counsel]], although she had previously had no rights of audience in the higher courts, did not obtain them and never presented a case during her time as Solicitor General, or at all.

After the [[United Kingdom general election, 2005|2005 general election]], she became a Minister of State in the [[Department for Constitutional Affairs]] with responsibilities including constitutional reform, legal aid and court processes and she represented [[Lord Falconer]] in the House of Commons on the frontbench.

On 16 March 2006, Harman relinquished her ministerial responsibilities for electoral administration and reform of the [[House of Lords]]. She stated that this was to avoid any potential conflict of interest after her husband [[Jack Dromey]], the Treasurer of the Labour Party, announced that he would be investigating a number of [[Cash for Honours|loans made to the Labour Party]] that had not been disclosed to party officers. She retained her other responsibilities.<ref>{{cite news | title=Harman gives up Lords reform role | date=16 March 2006 | publisher =BBC News| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4812666.stm | accessdate = 25 June 2007 }}</ref>

==== Lone Parent Benefit ====
After Labour's victory in the 1997 general election, she became [[Secretary of State for Social Security]] and the first ever [[Minister for Women and Equalities|Minister for Women]].

In 1998 Harman headed up [[New Labour]]'s controversial cut to single parent benefit despite the majority of those affected being women.<ref name="Brown">{{cite news |last=Brown |first=Colin |author-link=Colin Brown (political journalist) |date=21 November 1997 |title=Labour revolt threatened over cut in lone-parent benefit |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/politics-labour-revolt-threatened-over-cut-in-lone-parent-benefit-1295262.html |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=25 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.socialistaction.net/1998/02/01/lone-parent-benefit-the-end-of-blairs-honeymoon-2/ |title=Lone parent benefit - The end of Blair's honeymoon |date=1 February 1998 |publisher=[[Socialist Action (UK)|Socialist Action]] |access-date=25 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Macintyre |first=Donald |date=2 December 1997 |title=Lone parents' benefit cut: What makes Harriet Harman tick? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/lone-parents-benefit-cut-what-makes-harriet-harman-tick-1286412.html |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=25 March 2018}}</ref> There was public outcry at this perceived attacked on the living standards of some of the poorest women and children. According to ''[[The Independent]]'', a group of women protesters shouted "Labour scum"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=Colin |date=21 November 1997 |title=Blair backs Harman over cut in lone-parent benefit |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/blair-backs-harman-over-cut-in-lone-parent-benefit-1295256.html |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=25 March 2018}}</ref> as the measure was approved in [[Parliament]] - albeit with a rebellion of 47 Labour MPs (including [[John McDonnell]], [[Jeremy Corbyn]] and [[Diane Abbott]]) and the abstention of many others.<ref name="Brown"/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/38656.stm |date=11 December 1997 |title=Blair suffers in benefits revolt |publisher=BBC News |access-date=25 March 2018}}</ref>

===Deputy Leadership election===
Harman announced her intention to [[Labour Party (UK) deputy leadership election, 2007|stand for Deputy Leadership of the Labour Party]] when [[John Prescott]] stood down.<ref>{{cite news | title=Harman intends Labour deputy bid | date=15 September 2006 | publisher =BBC News| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5350360.stm | accessdate = 25 June 2007 }}</ref> On 27 November 2006, the Press Association reported that she had commissioned an opinion poll from [[YouGov]] which found that Harman would be the most likely potential deputy leader to increase the Labour vote at the next general election.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/nov/27/labourleadership.labour "Harman would be most popular deputy PM, says poll"], ''The Guardian'' (Press Association), 27 November 2006</ref> She used this point to argue that she should become the next [[Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Deputy Prime Minister]] in an interview with the BBC.<ref>{{cite news | first=Brian | last=Wheeler | title=Interview: Harriet Harman | date=8 March 2007 | publisher =BBC News| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6423761.stm | accessdate = 25 June 2007 }}</ref>

While she supported the [[Iraq War]], during the Deputy Leadership campaign, she said that she would not have voted for it had she been in full possession of the facts, specifically about the lack of concrete evidence of weapons of mass destruction.<ref name="Whip">{{cite news | title= Voting Record – Harriet Harman MP, Camberwell & Peckham | work =The Public Whip | url =http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?id=uk.org.publicwhip/member/1472#divisions | accessdate = 24 June 2007 }}</ref><ref name="Full">{{cite news | title= Full Voting Record – Harriet Harman MP, Camberwell & Peckham | work =The Public Whip | url =http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/mp.php?mpn=Harriet_Harman&mpc=Camberwell+%26amp%3B+Peckham&display=allvotes#divisions | accessdate = 24 June 2007 }}</ref>

Harman did not have the support of any major unions, and helped to fund her campaign for deputy leadership by taking out a personal loan of £10,000<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article2957667.ece |title=Harriet Harman may pay price for leaving her leader in lurch |first=Francis |last=Elliott|first2= Philip |last2=Webster |first3=Greg |last3=Hurst |work=[[The Times]] |date=28 November 2007 |accessdate=26 December 2007 | location=London}}</ref> and a £40,000 extension to her mortgage.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hope |first=Christopher |date=3 December 2007 |title=Harriet Harman faces second finances inquiry |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/12/01/nfunds201.xml |newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=24 December 2007}}</ref> Harman failed to report some donations and loans on time, and was subject to an [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|Electoral Commission]] inquiry for breaches of electoral law. The commission said that her "failure to report on time is a serious matter" though the case was not handed over to the police.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7351154.stm |title=Harman reminded of donation rules|date=16 April 2008 |publisher=BBC News|accessdate=24 April 2008}}</ref>

On 24 June 2007, in what was a close contest Harman was elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.<ref>{{cite news | first=Mark |last=Sellman |first2=Sam |last2=Coates |title=Harriet Harman elected deputy leader of Labour Party |date=24 June 2007 |newspaper=The Times |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1979600.ece |accessdate=25 June 2007 |location=London}}</ref> [[Alan Johnson]] had led in all but the first of the previous rounds, but when second-preference votes had been redistributed after the fourth round, Harman stood elected with 50.43% of the vote to Johnson's 49.56%<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article1979600.ece|title=Harriet Harman elected deputy leader of Labour Party|work=The Times |location=London |date=24 June 2007 |accessdate=4 May 2010 |first1=Mark |last1=Sellman |first2=Sam |last2=Coates}}</ref>

====Campaign donations====
{{Main|2007 Labour party donation scandal}}
In November 2007, it emerged that [[property developer]] [[David Abrahams (Labour party donor)|David Abrahams']] secretary Janet Kidd had donated £5,000 to Harman's successful deputy leadership bid. After an investigation by ''[[The Mail on Sunday]]'' newspaper into other donations made by people associated with Abrahams, and Prime Minister Gordon Brown's assertion that all such monies would be returned, Harman issued a statement saying she accepted the donation on 4 July "in good faith," had registered the monies with the [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|Electoral Commission]] and the Register of Members' Interests, and that she "was not aware of any funding arrangements... between David Abrahams and Janet Kidd".<ref name="BBCN3">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7115016.stm |title=Harman took cash 'in good faith' |publisher=BBC News |date=27 November 2007 |accessdate=24 December 2007}}</ref>

===Gordon Brown becomes PM===
Harman was known as a long term supporter of [[Gordon Brown]] and is regarded as a personal friend.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/mar/09/gordon-brown-harman-darling|title=Why pick fights with friends? Brown must ditch his pride|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|accessdate= 18 December 2009 | location=London | first=Jackie | last=Ashley | date=9 March 2009}}</ref> On 28 June 2007, after she became Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Brown was appointed Prime Minister, Harman joined [[Brown Ministry|Brown's Cabinet]] as [[Leader of the House of Commons]], [[Lord Privy Seal]] and [[Minister for Women and Equality]], and was also given the title of Labour Party Chair. Unlike the previous Deputy Leader, John Prescott, Harman was not made [[Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Deputy Prime Minister]].

When Harman, as Leader of the House of Commons, stood in for [[Gordon Brown]] during [[Prime minister's questions]] on Wednesday 2 April 2008 (due to the Prime Minister attending a [[NATO]] summit in [[Romania]]), she became the first female Labour Minister to take Prime Minister's Questions. She subsequently repeated this during Brown's absences.

Harman attacked the Conservative Party at the [[Labour Party Conference]] 2007, referring to them as the "nasty party" and suggesting that there would be little competition at the next election.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7016326.stm|title=Tories still nasty, says Harman|publisher=BBC News| date=27 September 2007 | accessdate=5 January 2010}}</ref>

On 1 April 2008 the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' reported that Harman had decided to wear a [[kevlar]]-reinforced [[stab vest]] while touring her [[Peckham]] constituency under police guard. On 2 April ''[[The Guardian]]'' relayed information from the [[Metropolitan Police Service|Metropolitan Police]] that "the type of Met Vest she wore over her jacket protected her from knife attacks and bullets, and, for her at least, was optional".<ref name="GHHSP">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2008/apr/02/harrietharman |title=Armour furore leaves Harman wounded |first=Helen |last=Pidd |newspaper=The Guardian |date=2 April 2008 |accessdate=2 April 2008 |location=London}}</ref> Harman compared the decision to wearing a [[hard hat]] while touring a building site, which led the BBC's [[John Humphrys]] to respond, during an interview for [[BBC Radio 4]], "You wear a hard hat on a building site because... there is the danger that something might drop on your head. You don't need to wear a bullet-proof vest on the streets of London, do you!" Harman told the BBC that the neighbourhood police team she was with put on their stab vests and gave her one to wear as well.<ref name="BBCN4">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7324123.stm |title=Harman defends wearing stab vest |publisher=BBC News|date=1 April 2008 |accessdate=1 April 2008 }}</ref>

In April 2008, Harman's blog was hacked and changed to state that she had joined the Conservative Party. Harman later admitted when questioned by Sky News that the incident was a result of her using "Harriet" and "Harman" as her username and password.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/04/25/harriet_harman_website_hacked/|date=25 April 2008|work=The Register|title=Harman hack horror has blog backing Boris}}</ref>

===Use of statistics===
During the [[Great Recession|Late-2000s recession]], and following a government report which suggested that women were twice as likely to lose their jobs as men and feared losing their jobs more than men, Harman stated: "We will not allow women to become the victims of this recession".<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5581549.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=2015164 Women losing jobs twice as fast as men] ''The Times'', 25 January 2009</ref> However, some statistics contradicted her position, including the Office for National Statistics report on the issue which stated "the economic downturn in 2008 has impacted less on women in employment than men". According to the ONS, men were losing their jobs at twice the rate of women. The Government Equalities Office insisted the ONS figures did not render pointless its efforts to help women.<ref>{{cite news |last=Beckford |first=Martin |date=7 March 2009 |title=Office for National Statistics contradicts Government again with female employment figures |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financetopics/recession/4949315/Office-for-National-Statistics-contradicts-Government-again-with-female-employment-figures.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |accessdate=12 April 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=2145 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629140847/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=2145 |archivedate=29 June 2011 |publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]] |title=Women in the Labour Market |date=6 March 2009 |accessdate=18 October 2011}}</ref>

[[File:Harriet Harman, January 2009 2.jpg|thumb|Harman in 2009]]
In June 2009, [[Michael Scholar|Sir Michael Scholar]], head of the [[UK Statistics Authority]], wrote to Harman to warn her that different headline figures used by the ONS and Government Equalities Office with regards to pay differentiation between men and women might undermine public trust in official statistics. The GEO's headline figure was 23%, which was based on median hourly earnings of all employees, not the 12.8%, based on median hourly earnings of full-time employees only, used by the ONS. Scholar wrote: "It is the Statistics Authority’s view that use of the 23% on its own, without qualification, risks giving a misleading quantification of the gender pay gap".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/reports---correspondence/correspondence/letter-from-sir-michael-scholar-to-harriet-harman-qc-mp-11-june-2009-and-m-a-note.pdf |title=Chair of the UK Statistics Authority, Sir Michael Scholar KCB |format=PDF |accessdate=12 April 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8096761.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Harman pay gap data 'misleading' | date=12 June 2009}}</ref>

===MPs' Expenses===
In January 2009, Harman proposed a rule change to exempt MPs' expenses from the [[Freedom of Information Act 2000|Freedom of Information Act]]. Her parliamentary order aimed to remove "most expenditure information held by either House of Parliament from the scope of the Freedom of Information Act". It meant that, under the law, journalists and members of the public would no longer be entitled to learn details of their MP's expenses. Labour MPs were to be pressured to vote for this measure by use of a [[three line whip]]. Her proposal was withdrawn when the Conservative Party said they would vote against, and an online campaign by [[mySociety]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=42836 |title=FoI campaigners condemn MPs' bid to hide expenses |work=Press Gazette |date=15 January 2009 |accessdate=12 April 2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090518081436/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=42836 |archivedate=18 May 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The failure of the motion led to the [[United Kingdom parliamentary expenses scandal|disclosure of expenses of British members of parliament]].

In December 2010, it emerged that Harman was amongst 40 MPs who had secretly repaid wrongly claimed expenses between 2008 and 2010. In November 2010, Harman's parliamentary private secretary [[Ian Lavery]] had blocked a motion designed to allow the repayments to be made public.<ref>{{cite news |last=Beckford |first=Martin |date=9 December 2010 |title=MPs' expenses: 17 MPs were re-elected after secret deals on expenses |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/8192570/MPs-expenses-17-MPs-were-re-elected-after-secret-deals-on-expenses.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=26 March 2018}}</ref>

===Loyalty===
In November 2010, ''[[The Times]]'' reported that at the end of 2009 Harman had hosted a new year's house party at her second home in [[Suffolk]] with guests including [[Patricia Hewitt]], at "least one other minister" and another MP.<ref>{{cite news |title=How Gordon's goose escaped the oven |author-link=Rachel Sylvester |first=Rachel |last=Sylvester| author2-link=Tom Baldwin (journalist) |first2=Tom |last2=Baldwin |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=19 November 2010|}}</ref> It reported that she told guests that [[Gordon Brown]] was "hopeless" and that there were at least five members of the Cabinet who would tell Gordon Brown that he should resign.{{citation needed|date=March 2015}}

=== Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 ===
Harriet Harman allegedly blocked a series votes to liberalise Britain's abortion laws via the [[Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008|Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill]] (now Act).<ref name="Galbraith">{{cite web |url=https://labourlist.org/2009/03/harriet-harman-shouldnt-be-blogging-on-international-womens-day-shes-suppressed-womens-rights-for-12-years/ |title=Harriet Harman shouldn't be blogging on International Women's Day – she's suppressed women's rights for 12 years |last=Galbraith |first=Rebecca |date=9 March 2009 |publisher=[[LabourList]] |accessdate=16 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2008/oct/21/health-health1|title=Harman to block Commons votes on liberalising abortion laws|last=Watt|first=Nicholas|date=20 October 2008|newspaper=The Guardian|accessdate=16 March 2018}}</ref> The [[Pro choice|pro-choice]] amendments proposed by [[Diane Abbott|Diane Abbot]] MP<ref>{{Cite news |last=Abbott |first=Diane |date=23 July 2008 |title=A right to choose? Not in Northern Ireland |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/jul/23/northernireland.law |newspaper=The Guardian |accessdate=16 March 2018}}</ref>, [[Katy Clark]] MP and [[John McDonnell]] MP<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7520856.stm|title=MPs pushing abortion rights in NI|date=23 July 2008|accessdate=16 March 2018}}</ref> included NC30 Amendment of the Abortion Act 1967: Application to Northern Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmbills/120/amend/pbc1202210m.3272-3278.html|title=House of Commons Amendments|last=Commons|first=Table Office, House of|website=publications.parliament.uk|accessdate=16 March 2018}}</ref> It was reported that the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] Government at the time asked MPs not to table these pro-choice amendments (and at least until [[Third reading|Third Reading]]) and then allegedly used parliamentary mechanisms in order to prevent a vote accordingly.<ref name="Galbraith"/>

===Equality Bill===
{{Main|Equality Act 2010}}
As part of a proposed [[Equality Bill]], Harman announced a consultation on changing the existing discrimination laws, including options for [[reverse discrimination]] in employment. Under the proposals, employers would be legally allowed to discriminate in favour of a job candidate on the basis of their race or gender where the candidates were otherwise equally qualified. Employers would not be required to use these powers, but would be able to do so without the threat of legal action for discriminatory practices. The white paper also proposed measures to end age discrimination, promote transparency in organisations and introduce a new equality duty on the public sector.<ref>{{Cite book|first=Harriet |last=Harman |title=Framework for a Fairer Future – The Equalities Bill |year=2008 |page=40 |place=London |publisher=HMSO |url= http://www.equalities.gov.uk/publications/FRAMEWORK%20FAIRER%20FUTURE.pdf|format=PDF}}</ref>

It was argued by critics that these changes could face a challenge under Article 14 of the [[European Convention on Human Rights]], which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, race, colour, language, religion and on several other criteria.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/en/Treaties/Html/005.htm |title=Council of Europe – ETS no. 005 – Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms |publisher=Conventions.coe.int |accessdate=12 April 2010}}</ref> Michael Millar, writing in ''[[The Spectator]]'', was of the opinion that "the Equality Bill before parliament today gives employers the right to choose an ethnic minority candidate or female candidate over a white male, specifically because they are an ethnic minority or female."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/798356/harriet-harman-unleashes-positive-discrimination.thtml |title=Harriet Harman unleashes positive discrimination |newspaper=The Spectator |accessdate=12 April 2010 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605062434/http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/798356/harriet-harman-unleashes-positive-discrimination.thtml |archivedate=5 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Harman also commissioned a report on allowing political parties to draw up all-black shortlists<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3341874.ece|title=Harriet Harman in plan to give parties all-black shortlists|work=The Times |location=London |first=Marie |last=Woolf |date=10 February 2008 |accessdate=4 May 2010}}</ref> designed to increase the number of black MPs in Westminster. A further report proposed extended the arrangement allowing [[all-women shortlists]] beyond 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hansardsociety.org.uk/blogs/publications/archive/2007/10/01/Women-at-the-Top-2005.aspx|title=Women at the Top 2005: Changing Numbers, Changing Politics? (November 2005)|publisher=Hansard Society|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912044929/http://hansardsociety.org.uk/blogs/publications/archive/2007/10/01/Women-at-the-Top-2005.aspx|archivedate=12 September 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref> which will fail to have any impact in the 2010 general election.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oldsuffragette.mcpherson.org.uk/General%20Election%202010.html |title=McPherson S (2010) General Election 2010: Women, Fascism and Democracy |publisher=Oldsuffragette.mcpherson.org.uk |accessdate=29 April 2010 }}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> These proposals are supported by members of the three major parties, though no others allow discrimination in their shortlists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080626/debtext/80626-0004.htm#08062679000001|title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 26&nbsp;June 2008 (pt 0004)|publisher=UK Parliament}}</ref> Inside the Labour Party, Harman has said she does "not agree with all-male leaderships" because men "cannot be left to run things on their own"; and that, consequently, one of Labour's top two posts should always be held by a woman.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8180195.stm|title=Labour 'men-only leadership' over |publisher=BBC News|date=2 August 2009|accessdate=2 August 2009}}</ref> She had also stated that the collapse of Lehman Brothers might have been averted had it been 'Lehman Sisters'. These comments caused accusations of sexism and "insidious bigotry".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8281812/Are-men-victims-of-obnoxious-feminism.html |title=Are men victims of obnoxious feminism? |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date= 26 January 2011|accessdate=25 February 2014 |first1=Dominic |last1=Raab |first2=Fay |last2=Weldon}}</ref>

==Return to Opposition==
{{see also|First Shadow Cabinet of Harriet Harman|Second Shadow Cabinet of Harriet Harman}}
Following the resignation of [[Gordon Brown]] as Prime Minister and [[Leader of the Labour Party (UK)|Leader of the Labour Party]] on 11 May 2010, Harman automatically became the temporary leader of the party as well as the [[Leader of the Opposition (United Kingdom)|Leader of the Opposition]], entitling her to the salary and government car that come with the role. Although she was informally described in the media as 'Acting' Leader, she was fully Leader by the terms of the party's constitution, albeit on a temporary basis, as was the case with [[Margaret Beckett]] in 1994.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=http://www.savethelabourparty.org/labourpartyrulebook2008.pdf|title=Labour Party Rule Book 2008|publisher=The Labour Party|quote="When the party is in opposition and the party leader, for whatever reason, becomes permanently unavailable, the deputy leader shall automatically become party leader on a pro-tem basis."|accessdate=12 May 2010}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Following Brown's resignation, she quickly announced that she would remain Deputy Leader rather than standing for [[Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2010|election as Leader]]. Her only public explanation was the assertion that: “You can’t run for leader at the same time as being deputy leader”.<ref>{{cite news|last=Prince |first=Rosa |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/7713246/Harriet-Harman-is-acting-leader-of-the-Labour-Party.html |title=Harriet Harman is acting leader of the Labour Party |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=12 May 2010|accessdate=5 June 2010}}</ref>

She nominated [[Diane Abbott]], MP for [[Hackney North and Stoke Newington (UK Parliament constituency)|Hackney North and Stoke Newington]], to prevent the election from being all male. But she nonetheless asserted her intention to remain neutral throughout the contest and said, "This is a very crucial period and we have got five fantastic candidates. All of them would make excellent leaders of the party."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10303473.stm |title=Abbott will give male rivals a good run, says Harman |date=13 June 2010 |publisher=[[BBC]] |accessdate=13 June 2010}}</ref>

Following [[Ed Miliband]]'s election as leader, she returned to her role as Deputy Leader, shadowing [[Nick Clegg]] as [[Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Deputy Prime Minister]] and with the title of Deputy Leader of the Opposition.<ref name="The Shadow Cabinet">{{cite web |url=http://www2.labour.org.uk/shadow-cabinet |title=The Shadow Cabinet |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/62BCU5xVj?url=http://www2.labour.org.uk/shadow-cabinet |archivedate=4 October 2011 |publisher=Labour.org.uk |deadurl=yes |df=dmy-all }}{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/harriet-harman/25677 |title=The Rt Hon Harriet Harman |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/62BD3Mt7i?url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/harriet-harman/25677 |archivedate=4 October 2011 |publisher=House of Commons Information Office |deadurl=yes |df=dmy-all }}</ref> When Miliband assigned portfolios on 8 October 2010, he appointed her [[Shadow Secretary of State for International Development]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/oct/08/shadow-cabinet-labour-ed-miliband |title=Shadow cabinet appointments – as it happened |date=8 October 2010 |newspaper=The Guardian |first=Andrew |last=Sparrow}}</ref> In 2010, Harman referred to [[Danny Alexander]] as a "ginger rodent" in a speech to the [[Scottish Labour Party]] conference. This was greeted with cheers and laughter from the conference, but the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] and the [[Scottish National Party]] described them as [[gingerism]] and "anti-Scottish". Harman apologised for the offence caused. In 2011, Harman was moved to become [[Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport]]. In 2014, she accused [[Nick Clegg]] of turning into a Tory during Prime Minister's Questions.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10495065/Sketch-Harriet-Harmans-big-brake.html|title=Harriet Harman's big brake|date=14 January 2014 |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |first=Michael |last=Deacon}}</ref>

===Paedophile Information Exchange allegations and response===
In February 2014, Harman denied allegations that she had supported the [[Paedophile Information Exchange]] (PIE) when the advocacy group was affiliated with the [[National Council for Civil Liberties]] (NCCL), while she was the pressure group's Legal Officer from 1978 to 1982. Both the ''[[Daily Mail]]'' and ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' also claimed that [[Jack Dromey]] MP (her partner) and former Health Secretary [[Patricia Hewitt]] had offered support to apologists for the sexual abuse of children while they were working for NCCL. ''The Guardian'' also states that in an NCCL briefing note dated 1978, Harman urged amendments to a 1978 Child Protection Bill declaring that "images of children should only be considered pornographic if it could be proven the subject suffered", which Harman says was an argument intended to protect from "unintended consequences" such as parents being prosecuted for taking pictures of their children on the beach or in the bath.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/feb/26/lobbying-paedophile-campaign-revealed-hewitt|title=Lobbying by paedophile campaign revealed|last=Booth|first=Robert|date=26 February 2014|newspaper=The Guardian|accessdate=31 March 2017|last2=Pidd|first2=Helen}}</ref>

In a television interview, Harman said she had "nothing to apologise for," stating "I very much regret that this vile organisation, PIE, ever existed and that it ever had anything to do with NCCL, but it did not affect my work at NCCL."<ref>{{cite news|first=Norman |last=Smith |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26333558 |title=Harriet Harman expresses 'regret' after Daily Mail claims |publisher=BBC News |date=1 January 1970 |accessdate=25 February 2014}}</ref> Harman stated that while she did support the equalisation of the age of consent for gay men she had never campaigned for the age of consent to go below the age of 16 and accused the ''Daily Mail'' of trying to make her "guilty by way of association",.<ref name="guard pie">{{cite news|first=Rowena |last=Mason|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/24/harriet-harman-daily-mail-paedophile-campaign-allegations |title=Harriet Harman rejects allegations of 1970s link to paedophile campaign |newspaper=The Guardian |accessdate=25 February 2014}}</ref> Documents subsequently discovered by ''[[The Guardian]]'' contradicted her claim; Harman's name appears on a March 1976 NCCL press which states "NCCL proposes that the age of consent should be lowered to 14, with special provision for situations where the partners are close in age, or where consent of a child over ten can be proved."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pidd |first1=Helen |last2=Mason |first2=Rowena |date=28 February 2014 |title=Patricia Hewitt backed NCCL policy of lowering age of consent |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/feb/28/patricia-hewitt-age-of-consent |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=26 March 2018}}</ref> [[Ed Miliband]] backed Harman and stated that she had "huge decency and integrity".<ref name="guard pie" />

''The Daily Telegraph'' cast doubt on her assertion that the PIE had been "pushed to the margins" before Harman had joined the NCCL.<ref>{{cite news |last=Graham |first=Georgia |date=28 February 2014 |title=Harriet Harman should apologise for paedophile group links, Cameron suggests |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/labour/10667776/Harriet-Harman-should-apologise-for-paedophile-group-links-Cameron-suggests.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=26 March 2018}}</ref>

===Aftermath of the 2015 general election===
Following the [[United Kingdom general election, 2015|2015 general election]] and [[Ed Miliband]]'s resignation, Harman again became acting leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition after announcing that she would stand down from this role once a Labour leadership election had taken place.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/update/2015-05-08/harriet-harman-stepping-down-as-labour-deputy-leader/|title=Harriet Harman stepping down as Labour deputy leader|work=ITV News}}</ref>

While interim leader, she made the decision for Labour to abstain, rather than oppose, the [[Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016|Welfare Reform and Work Bill 2015]], leading to 48 Labour MPs defying the whip.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wintour|first1=Patrick|title=Welfare bill: Labour in disarray as 48 MPs defy whips to vote no|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jul/21/labour-disarray-welfare-48-mps-defy-whips|website=The Guardian|accessdate=17 August 2015}}</ref> She is now the Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights.

==Personal life==
Harman married [[Jack Dromey]] in 1982 in [[London Borough of Brent|Brent]], London, after meeting him on the picket line of the [[Grunwick dispute]] in 1977; she was legal advisor to the Grunwick Strike Committee. They have two sons (born February 1983 and November 1984) and a daughter, Amy (born January 1987), with the latter having the surname "Harman".<ref>192.com</ref> Labour colleague [[Patricia Hewitt]] is godmother to one of her children.<ref name="timesonline.co.uk"/>

In late 1988, Harman was absent from the Commons for some time and on 26 December it was reported that she was suffering pneumonia brought on by [[psittacosis]].<ref>The Times, 27 December 1988, ITN News Summary, 26 December 1988</ref>

In 1996, Harman sent her younger son Joseph to [[St Olave's Grammar School]], [[Orpington]], a selective grammar school, whereas she had sent her elder son Harry to the Roman Catholic [[London Oratory School]], a [[grant-maintained school]]. Harman said of St. Olave's: "This is a state school that other children in my son's class will be going to... And admission is open to every child in Southwark irrespective of money or who their parents are". St. Olave's selects its students on the basis of its own academically competitive entrance examination, held at the school.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/why-my-son-will-go-to-grammar-school-by-harriet-harman-1324835.html|title=Why my son will go to Grammar School|work=The Independent|accessdate=2 July 2009 | location=London | first=Donald |last=MacIntyre |date=20 January 1996}}</ref>

Harman is a committed [[feminist]], having said, "I am in the Labour Party because I am a feminist. I am in the Labour Party because I believe in equality."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article2843875.ece |title=Harriet the plotter and the not terribly secret chamber of her old feminist friends |work=The Times |date=10 November 2007 |accessdate=27 February 2010 |location=London |first1=Helen |last1=Rumbelow}}</ref> Critics of her positions have responded by nicknaming her "Harriet Harperson".<ref>{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Helen |author-link=Helen Lewis (journalist) |date= 6 March 2017 |title=Harriet Harman: the irresistible force |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/feminism/2017/03/harriet-harman-irresistible-force-0 |newspaper=[[New Statesman]] |access-date=26 March 2018}}</ref>

She owns a number of houses and properties, including a house in [[Suffolk]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Sapsted |first=David |date=21 September 2007 |title=Harriet Harman avoids court over speeding |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/19/nharman119.xml |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=2 December 2007}}</ref> in addition to a home in [[Herne Hill]], south London.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7443284.stm|title=Father's rooftop protest goes on|publisher=BBC News|date=9 June 2008|accessdate=12 April 2010}}</ref>

In 2012, Harman was awarded the [[Freedom of the City|Freedom of the Borough]] of [[London Borough of Southwark|Southwark]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southwark.gov.uk/news/article/760/sir_michael_caine_receives_freedom_of_the_borough_of_southwark|title=Sir Michael Caine receives Freedom of the Borough of Southwark|publisher=}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/southwarkcouncil/sets/72157629724277788/|title=The Freedom of the Borough of Southwark|work=Flickr – Photo Sharing!}}</ref>

In 2017, Harman published ''A Woman's Work'', her personal examination of women's progressive politics over the last thirty years.<ref name="Harman2017">{{cite book|author=Harriet Harman|title=A Woman's Work|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u3pMvgAACAAJ|date=2 February 2017|publisher=Penguin Books, Limited|isbn=978-0-241-27494-1}}</ref><ref name='Penguin'>{{cite web|title=A Woman's Work|url=https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/296722/a-woman-s-work/|publisher=Penguin Books|accessdate=30 January 2017}}</ref>

===Motoring convictions===
In 2003, Harman was fined £400 and banned from driving for seven days after being convicted of driving at {{convert|99|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} on a motorway, {{convert|29|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} above the [[speed limit]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2748411.stm|title=Harman banned for speeding|publisher=[[BBC News]]| date=11 February 2003 | accessdate=5 January 2010}}</ref> In 2007, Harman was issued with a £60 [[fixed penalty notice]] and given three [[point system (driving)|penalty points]] on her licence for driving at {{convert|50|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} in a temporary {{convert|40|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} zone. Harman paid the fine several months late and avoided appearing at [[Ipswich]] magistrates court.<ref name="t_speeding">{{cite news |last=Sapsted |first=David |date=21 September 2007 |title=Harriet Harman avoids court over speeding |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/19/nharman119.xml |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |accessdate=2 December 2007}}</ref> Harman was again caught breaking the speed limit the following April, this time in a 30&nbsp;mph zone, receiving a further 3 points on her driving licence.<ref>{{cite news|last=Laing |first=Aislinn |date=9 January 2010 |title=Harriet Harman fined over careless driving while on mobile phone |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/labour/6952065/Harriet-Harman-fined-over-careless-driving-while-on-mobile-phone.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |accessdate=12 April 2010}}</ref>

In January 2010, Harman pleaded guilty to [[driving without due care and attention]] in relation to an incident on 3 July where she struck another vehicle whilst [[Mobile phones and driving safety|driving using a mobile phone]], she admitted the offence in court.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6980682.ece Harriet Harman pleads guilty to careless driving] ''The Times'', 8 January 2010</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8369371.stm |title=Harriet Harman faces driving with mobile prosecution |date=19 November 2009 |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=21 November 2009}}</ref> Harman was fined £350, ordered to pay £70 costs, a £15 [[victim surcharge]] and had three points added to her licence.<ref>{{cite news |title=Harman questioned over car crash |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8289159.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=3 October 2009 |access-date=7 October 2009}}</ref>

Road safety organisations such as [[Brake (charity)|Brake]] condemned the leniency of the punishment and decision to drop the charge of driving whilst using a mobile phone.<ref>{{cite news|last=Greenwood |first=Chris |url=http://news.scotsman.com/politics/39Letting-Harriet-Harman-off-for.5968669.jp |title=Letting Harriet Harman off for driving with a mobile sends wrong message|newspaper=The Scotsman|date=9 January 2010 |accessdate=12 April 2010 |location=Edinburgh}}</ref> The judge defended the decision stating "Ms Harman's guilty plea to driving without due care and attention included her admitting that she had been using a mobile phone at the time".<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6981399.ece Harriet Harman escapes driving ban after using mobile while driving] ''The Times'', 9 January 2010</ref>

==See also==
* [[Shadow Cabinet of Ed Miliband]]
* [[Shadow Cabinet of Tony Blair]]
* [[Shadow Cabinet of John Smith]]
* Shadow Cabinet elections: [[Labour Party (UK) Shadow Cabinet election, 1992|1992]], [[Labour Party (UK) Shadow Cabinet election, 1993|1993]], [[Labour Party (UK) Shadow Cabinet election, 1994|1994]], [[Labour Party (UK) Shadow Cabinet election, 1995|1995]], and [[Labour Party (UK) Shadow Cabinet election, 1996|1996]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

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===Notes===
{{Reflist|group=note}}
-->

==Publications==
* ''Sex Discrimination in Schools: How to Fight it'' by Harriet Harman, 1978, Civil Liberties Trust {{ISBN|0-901108-73-1}}
* ''Justice Deserted: Subversion of the Jury'' by Harriet Harman et al., 1979, Civil Liberties Trust {{ISBN|0-901108-79-0}}
* ''Violence Against Social Workers: The Implications for Practice'' by Dan Norris, foreword by Harriet Harman, Jessica Kingsley Publishers {{ISBN|1-85302-041-9}}
* ''The Family Way: A New Approach to Policy Making'' by Harriet Harman et al., 1990, Institute for Public Policy Research {{ISBN|1-872452-15-9}}
* ''The Century Gap: 20th Century Man/21st Century Woman'' by Harriet Harman, 1993, Vermilion {{ISBN|0-09-177819-0}}
* ''[http://digital.library.lse.ac.uk/objects/lse:num803zid Winning for Women]'' by Harriet Harman and Deborah Mattinson, 2000, Fabian Society {{ISBN|0-7163-0596-8}}
* ''Women with Attitude'' by Susan Vinnicombe, John Bank, foreword by Harriet Harman, 2002, Routledge {{ISBN|0-415-28742-1}}
* ''A Woman's Work'' by Harriet Harman, 2017, Allen Lane {{ISBN|978-0-241-27494-1}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons category|Harriet Harman}}
* [http://www.harrietharman.org/ Harriet Harman] ''Official constituency website''
* [http://www.southwarklabour.co.uk/ Southwark Labour]
*{{UK MP links | parliament = ms-harriet-harman/150 | hansard = ms-harriet-harman | hansardcurr = 847 | guardian = 2223/harriet-harman | publicwhip = Harriet_Harman | theywork = harriet_harman | record = Harriet-Harman/Camberwell-and-Peckham/232 | bbc = 25677.stm | journalisted = harriet-harman }}
*{{Worldcat id|lccn-n79-42799}}

;Video clips
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7407216.stm Harman on Tory 'toff' campaign] BBC News, 18 May 2008

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{{s-bef|before=[[Harry Lamborn]]}}
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{{s-new|constituency}}
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Revision as of 15:56, 9 June 2018

Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates

The Right Honourable
Harriet Harman
QC MP
Official Parliamentary portrait, June 2017
Leader of the Opposition
In office
8 May 2015 – 12 September 2015
Monarch Elizabeth II
Prime Minister David Cameron
Preceded by Ed Miliband
Succeeded by Jeremy Corbyn
In office
11 May 2010 – 25 September 2010
Monarch Elizabeth II
Prime Minister David Cameron
Preceded by David Cameron
Succeeded by Ed Miliband
Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
In office
24 June 2007 – 12 September 2015
Leader Gordon Brown
Ed Miliband
Preceded by John Prescott
Succeeded by Tom Watson
Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party
In office
24 June 2007 – 12 September 2015
Leader Gordon Brown
Ed Miliband
Preceded by Hazel Blears
Succeeded by

Tom Watson

Government positions
Leader of the House of Commons
Lord Privy Seal
In office
28 June 2007 – 11 May 2010
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Deputy Helen Goodman
Chris Bryant
Barbara Keeley
Preceded by Jack Straw
Succeeded by George Young
Minister for Women and Equality
In office
28 June 2007 – 11 May 2010
Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Preceded by Ruth Kelly
Succeeded by Theresa May
In office
3 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
Minister for Women
Prime Minister Tony Blair
Preceded by Office established
Succeeded by The Baroness Jay of Paddington
Solicitor General for England and Wales
In office
11 June 2001 – 10 May 2005
Prime Minister Tony Blair
Preceded by Ross Cranston
Succeeded by Mike O'Brien
Secretary of State for Social Security
In office
3 May 1997 – 27 July 1998
Prime Minister Tony Blair
Preceded by Peter Lilley
Succeeded by Alistair Darling
Shadow Cabinet positions
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
In office
8 October 2011 – 11 May 2015
Leader Ed Miliband
Preceded by Ivan Lewis
Succeeded by Chris Bryant
Shadow Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office
7 October 2010 – 8 May 2015
Leader Ed Miliband
Preceded by Jack Straw (Acting)
Succeeded by Hilary Benn (Acting Shadow First Secretary of State)
Shadow Secretary of State for International Development
In office
8 October 2010 – 7 October 2011
Leader Ed Miliband
Preceded by Douglas Alexander
Succeeded by Ivan Lewis
Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security
In office
1 July 1996 – 2 May 1997
Leader Tony Blair
Preceded by Chris Smith
Succeeded by Stephen Dorrell
Shadow Secretary of State for Health
In office
19 October 1995 – 1 July 1996
Leader Tony Blair
Preceded by Margaret Beckett
Succeeded by Chris Smith
Shadow Secretary of State for Employment
In office
21 July 1994 – 19 October 1995
Leader Tony Blair
Preceded by John Prescott
Succeeded by David Blunkett (Education and Employment)
Member of Parliament
for Camberwell and Peckham
Peckham (1982–1997)
Assumed office
28 October 1982
Preceded by Harry Lamborn
Majority 37,316 (65%)
Personal details
Born Harriet Ruth Harman
(1950-07-30) 30 July 1950 (age 73)
Marylebone, London, England
Political party Labour
Spouse(s) Template:Marriage
Children 3
Alma mater University of York
Website Official website

Harriet Ruth Harman QC (born 30 July 1950) is a British solicitor and Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament since 1982, first for Peckham, and then for its successor constituency of Camberwell and Peckham since 1997. She has served in various Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet positions and, in her role as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, she has served as the Acting Leader of the Labour Party twice and Leader of the Opposition: from May to September 2010 and from May to September 2015; and remains the only politician to have held this position on two separate occasions.

Born in London to physician John B. Harman and his wife Anna, a solicitor, Harriet attended St Paul's Girls' School and obtained a BA in Politics from Goodricke College, University of York. She qualified as a solicitor and worked for Brent Law Centre from 1978 to 1982, when she was elected MP for Peckham in a by-election following the death of sitting Labour MP Harry Lamborn.

Promoted to the Shadow Cabinet by Labour Leader John Smith, she served as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1992–1994) and then as Shadow Employment Secretary (1994–1995), Shadow Health Secretary (1995–1996) and Shadow Social Security Secretary (1996–1997) under Smith's successor, Tony Blair.

Under Blair's leadership, Labour won the 1997 general election in a landslide, he became Prime Minister and Harman was re-elected for the new constituency of Camberwell and Peckham. Blair appointed her as Secretary of State for Social Security and the first ever Minister for Women, serving until 1998; when she left the Cabinet. In 2001, she was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales, serving until 2005 when she became Minister of State for Constitutional Affairs.

In 2007, Blair resigned as Prime Minister after ten years and John Prescott resigned as Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Labour Leader. Harman ran in the subsequent deputy leadership election and defeated five other candidates, ultimately winning over Secretary of State for Health Alan Johnson by 50.43% to 49.56%. Gordon Brown, who was elected as party leader, appointed Harman Leader of the House of Commons, Lord Privy Seal, Minister for Women and Equality and Labour Party Chair. However she was not appointed Deputy Prime Minister.

She held all of these government positions until Labour lost the 2010 general election. Upon defeat, Brown resigned as party leader and Harman became Acting Leader and Leader of the Opposition until Ed Miliband was elected leader. She subsequently served as Shadow Deputy Prime Minister, combining the position with that of Shadow Secretary of State for International Development (2010–2011) and then Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (2011–2015). After Labour's defeat at the 2015 general election, Miliband resigned as Leader of the Labour Party and Harman once again became Acting Leader and Leader of the Opposition. She announced that she would also resign as Deputy Leader, prompting a concurrent deputy leadership election, which was won by Tom Watson.

Harman holds the record as the longest-ever continuously-serving female MP in the House of Commons.[1][2] She is married to former trade union leader Jack Dromey, who became Treasurer of the Labour Party in 2004 and MP for Birmingham Erdington in 2010. They have two sons and a daughter.

Early life and career

St Paul's Girls' School

Harman was born Harriet Ruth Harman at 108 Harley Street in London,[3] to Anna Harman (née Spicer), a solicitor, married to a Harley Street physician John Bishop Harman.[4] Her parents each had non-conformist backgrounds – her grandfather, an ophthalmic surgeon Nathaniel Bishop Harman, was a prominent Unitarian[5] and the Spicer family were well known Congregationalists. Her aunt was Elizabeth Pakenham, Countess of Longford, and her cousins include writers Lady Antonia Fraser, Rachel Billington, and Thomas Pakenham.[6] Harman is a great-great niece of Joseph Chamberlain and is also related to Richard Chamberlain.[7]

Harman attended a fee-paying public school, St Paul's Girls' School and then gained a 2:1 BA in Politics from the University of York. During her time at York, she was a member of Goodricke College and was involved with student politics. After York, Harman went on to qualify as a solicitor.

Harman worked for Brent Law Centre in London. Between 1978 and 1982, Harman was employed as a legal officer for the National Council for Civil Liberties. In this capacity, and just before becoming MP for Peckham in a by-election in 1982, she was found in contempt of court.[8] Harman subsequently took the case to the European Court of Human Rights, successfully arguing that the prosecution had breached her right to freedom of expression. Harman v United Kingdom is still considered a significant case in British public law.[9]

Harman was later involved in a European Court of Human Rights case against MI5. During a 1984 television interview by Cathy Massiter, it was revealed personal files were held by MI5 on Harman and on the (by then former-) General Secretary of the NCCL, Patricia Hewitt.[10] They successfully argued that there had been an infringement of their rights because MI5 was not a legally constituted and democratically accountable organisation, this being the minimum standard in democracy.[10] The success of the case led to enactment of the Security Service Act 1989.[10]

Opposition Member of Parliament

Harry Lamborn, the Labour MP for Peckham, died on 21 August 1982. In the subsequent by-election held on 28 October 1982, Harman was elected to succeed Lamborn with 11,349 votes (50.34%), a majority of 3,931 over Social Democratic candidate Dick Taverne, a former Labour MP for Lincoln. The Conservative Party candidate was John Redwood, who came third, and went on to be elected MP for Wokingham in 1987.

In 1984, Harman became a Shadow Social Services minister and served as a Shadow Health minister in 1987. After the 1992 general election she entered the Shadow Cabinet as Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury (1992–1994) and later served as Shadow Employment Secretary (1994–1995), Shadow Health Secretary (1995–1996) and Shadow Social Security Secretary (1996–1997).[11]

Labour in Government

Tony Blair as PM

After Labour's victory in the 1997 general election, she became Secretary of State for Social Security and the first ever Minister for Women.[12] She was given the task of reforming the Welfare State. During this time, her more notable policies included introducing a minimum income guarantee and winter fuel payments for the elderly. It was later ruled that the fuel payments policy breached European sex discrimination laws in that men had to wait five years longer to receive them than women.[13] The policy was amended so both sexes qualified at age 60.

Harman was sacked from the position in 1998. According to many in the media, this was the result of a series of public rows with junior minister Frank Field, though others also cited her decision to cut benefits to lone parents as a factor.[14] Harman voted with the party on all but a few instances during its period in government.

Harman made a return to the front bench after the 2001 general election, with her appointment to the office of Solicitor General, thus becoming the first female Solicitor General. In accordance with convention, she was appointed as Queen's Counsel, although she had previously had no rights of audience in the higher courts, did not obtain them and never presented a case during her time as Solicitor General, or at all.

After the 2005 general election, she became a Minister of State in the Department for Constitutional Affairs with responsibilities including constitutional reform, legal aid and court processes and she represented Lord Falconer in the House of Commons on the frontbench.

On 16 March 2006, Harman relinquished her ministerial responsibilities for electoral administration and reform of the House of Lords. She stated that this was to avoid any potential conflict of interest after her husband Jack Dromey, the Treasurer of the Labour Party, announced that he would be investigating a number of loans made to the Labour Party that had not been disclosed to party officers. She retained her other responsibilities.[15]

Lone Parent Benefit

After Labour's victory in the 1997 general election, she became Secretary of State for Social Security and the first ever Minister for Women.

In 1998 Harman headed up New Labour's controversial cut to single parent benefit despite the majority of those affected being women.[16][17][18] There was public outcry at this perceived attacked on the living standards of some of the poorest women and children. According to The Independent, a group of women protesters shouted "Labour scum"[19] as the measure was approved in Parliament - albeit with a rebellion of 47 Labour MPs (including John McDonnell, Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott) and the abstention of many others.[16][20]

Deputy Leadership election

Harman announced her intention to stand for Deputy Leadership of the Labour Party when John Prescott stood down.[21] On 27 November 2006, the Press Association reported that she had commissioned an opinion poll from YouGov which found that Harman would be the most likely potential deputy leader to increase the Labour vote at the next general election.[22] She used this point to argue that she should become the next Deputy Prime Minister in an interview with the BBC.[23]

While she supported the Iraq War, during the Deputy Leadership campaign, she said that she would not have voted for it had she been in full possession of the facts, specifically about the lack of concrete evidence of weapons of mass destruction.[24][25]

Harman did not have the support of any major unions, and helped to fund her campaign for deputy leadership by taking out a personal loan of £10,000[26] and a £40,000 extension to her mortgage.[27] Harman failed to report some donations and loans on time, and was subject to an Electoral Commission inquiry for breaches of electoral law. The commission said that her "failure to report on time is a serious matter" though the case was not handed over to the police.[28]

On 24 June 2007, in what was a close contest Harman was elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.[29] Alan Johnson had led in all but the first of the previous rounds, but when second-preference votes had been redistributed after the fourth round, Harman stood elected with 50.43% of the vote to Johnson's 49.56%[30]

Campaign donations

Template:Main In November 2007, it emerged that property developer David Abrahams' secretary Janet Kidd had donated £5,000 to Harman's successful deputy leadership bid. After an investigation by The Mail on Sunday newspaper into other donations made by people associated with Abrahams, and Prime Minister Gordon Brown's assertion that all such monies would be returned, Harman issued a statement saying she accepted the donation on 4 July "in good faith," had registered the monies with the Electoral Commission and the Register of Members' Interests, and that she "was not aware of any funding arrangements... between David Abrahams and Janet Kidd".[31]

Gordon Brown becomes PM

Harman was known as a long term supporter of Gordon Brown and is regarded as a personal friend.[32] On 28 June 2007, after she became Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Brown was appointed Prime Minister, Harman joined Brown's Cabinet as Leader of the House of Commons, Lord Privy Seal and Minister for Women and Equality, and was also given the title of Labour Party Chair. Unlike the previous Deputy Leader, John Prescott, Harman was not made Deputy Prime Minister.

When Harman, as Leader of the House of Commons, stood in for Gordon Brown during Prime minister's questions on Wednesday 2 April 2008 (due to the Prime Minister attending a NATO summit in Romania), she became the first female Labour Minister to take Prime Minister's Questions. She subsequently repeated this during Brown's absences.

Harman attacked the Conservative Party at the Labour Party Conference 2007, referring to them as the "nasty party" and suggesting that there would be little competition at the next election.[33]

On 1 April 2008 the Daily Mail reported that Harman had decided to wear a kevlar-reinforced stab vest while touring her Peckham constituency under police guard. On 2 April The Guardian relayed information from the Metropolitan Police that "the type of Met Vest she wore over her jacket protected her from knife attacks and bullets, and, for her at least, was optional".[34] Harman compared the decision to wearing a hard hat while touring a building site, which led the BBC's John Humphrys to respond, during an interview for BBC Radio 4, "You wear a hard hat on a building site because... there is the danger that something might drop on your head. You don't need to wear a bullet-proof vest on the streets of London, do you!" Harman told the BBC that the neighbourhood police team she was with put on their stab vests and gave her one to wear as well.[35]

In April 2008, Harman's blog was hacked and changed to state that she had joined the Conservative Party. Harman later admitted when questioned by Sky News that the incident was a result of her using "Harriet" and "Harman" as her username and password.[36]

Use of statistics

During the Late-2000s recession, and following a government report which suggested that women were twice as likely to lose their jobs as men and feared losing their jobs more than men, Harman stated: "We will not allow women to become the victims of this recession".[37] However, some statistics contradicted her position, including the Office for National Statistics report on the issue which stated "the economic downturn in 2008 has impacted less on women in employment than men". According to the ONS, men were losing their jobs at twice the rate of women. The Government Equalities Office insisted the ONS figures did not render pointless its efforts to help women.[38][39]

Harman in 2009

In June 2009, Sir Michael Scholar, head of the UK Statistics Authority, wrote to Harman to warn her that different headline figures used by the ONS and Government Equalities Office with regards to pay differentiation between men and women might undermine public trust in official statistics. The GEO's headline figure was 23%, which was based on median hourly earnings of all employees, not the 12.8%, based on median hourly earnings of full-time employees only, used by the ONS. Scholar wrote: "It is the Statistics Authority’s view that use of the 23% on its own, without qualification, risks giving a misleading quantification of the gender pay gap".[40][41]

MPs' Expenses

In January 2009, Harman proposed a rule change to exempt MPs' expenses from the Freedom of Information Act. Her parliamentary order aimed to remove "most expenditure information held by either House of Parliament from the scope of the Freedom of Information Act". It meant that, under the law, journalists and members of the public would no longer be entitled to learn details of their MP's expenses. Labour MPs were to be pressured to vote for this measure by use of a three line whip. Her proposal was withdrawn when the Conservative Party said they would vote against, and an online campaign by mySociety.[42] The failure of the motion led to the disclosure of expenses of British members of parliament.

In December 2010, it emerged that Harman was amongst 40 MPs who had secretly repaid wrongly claimed expenses between 2008 and 2010. In November 2010, Harman's parliamentary private secretary Ian Lavery had blocked a motion designed to allow the repayments to be made public.[43]

Loyalty

In November 2010, The Times reported that at the end of 2009 Harman had hosted a new year's house party at her second home in Suffolk with guests including Patricia Hewitt, at "least one other minister" and another MP.[44] It reported that she told guests that Gordon Brown was "hopeless" and that there were at least five members of the Cabinet who would tell Gordon Brown that he should resign.Template:Citation needed

Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008

Harriet Harman allegedly blocked a series votes to liberalise Britain's abortion laws via the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (now Act).[45][46] The pro-choice amendments proposed by Diane Abbot MP[47], Katy Clark MP and John McDonnell MP[48] included NC30 Amendment of the Abortion Act 1967: Application to Northern Ireland.[49] It was reported that the Labour Government at the time asked MPs not to table these pro-choice amendments (and at least until Third Reading) and then allegedly used parliamentary mechanisms in order to prevent a vote accordingly.[45]

Equality Bill

Template:Main As part of a proposed Equality Bill, Harman announced a consultation on changing the existing discrimination laws, including options for reverse discrimination in employment. Under the proposals, employers would be legally allowed to discriminate in favour of a job candidate on the basis of their race or gender where the candidates were otherwise equally qualified. Employers would not be required to use these powers, but would be able to do so without the threat of legal action for discriminatory practices. The white paper also proposed measures to end age discrimination, promote transparency in organisations and introduce a new equality duty on the public sector.[50]

It was argued by critics that these changes could face a challenge under Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, race, colour, language, religion and on several other criteria.[51] Michael Millar, writing in The Spectator, was of the opinion that "the Equality Bill before parliament today gives employers the right to choose an ethnic minority candidate or female candidate over a white male, specifically because they are an ethnic minority or female."[52]

Harman also commissioned a report on allowing political parties to draw up all-black shortlists[53] designed to increase the number of black MPs in Westminster. A further report proposed extended the arrangement allowing all-women shortlists beyond 2015[54] which will fail to have any impact in the 2010 general election.[55] These proposals are supported by members of the three major parties, though no others allow discrimination in their shortlists.[56] Inside the Labour Party, Harman has said she does "not agree with all-male leaderships" because men "cannot be left to run things on their own"; and that, consequently, one of Labour's top two posts should always be held by a woman.[57] She had also stated that the collapse of Lehman Brothers might have been averted had it been 'Lehman Sisters'. These comments caused accusations of sexism and "insidious bigotry".[58]

Return to Opposition

Template:See also Following the resignation of Gordon Brown as Prime Minister and Leader of the Labour Party on 11 May 2010, Harman automatically became the temporary leader of the party as well as the Leader of the Opposition, entitling her to the salary and government car that come with the role. Although she was informally described in the media as 'Acting' Leader, she was fully Leader by the terms of the party's constitution, albeit on a temporary basis, as was the case with Margaret Beckett in 1994.[59]

Following Brown's resignation, she quickly announced that she would remain Deputy Leader rather than standing for election as Leader. Her only public explanation was the assertion that: “You can’t run for leader at the same time as being deputy leader”.[60]

She nominated Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, to prevent the election from being all male. But she nonetheless asserted her intention to remain neutral throughout the contest and said, "This is a very crucial period and we have got five fantastic candidates. All of them would make excellent leaders of the party."[61]

Following Ed Miliband's election as leader, she returned to her role as Deputy Leader, shadowing Nick Clegg as Deputy Prime Minister and with the title of Deputy Leader of the Opposition.[62] When Miliband assigned portfolios on 8 October 2010, he appointed her Shadow Secretary of State for International Development.[63] In 2010, Harman referred to Danny Alexander as a "ginger rodent" in a speech to the Scottish Labour Party conference. This was greeted with cheers and laughter from the conference, but the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party described them as gingerism and "anti-Scottish". Harman apologised for the offence caused. In 2011, Harman was moved to become Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. In 2014, she accused Nick Clegg of turning into a Tory during Prime Minister's Questions.[64]

Paedophile Information Exchange allegations and response

In February 2014, Harman denied allegations that she had supported the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) when the advocacy group was affiliated with the National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL), while she was the pressure group's Legal Officer from 1978 to 1982. Both the Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph also claimed that Jack Dromey MP (her partner) and former Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt had offered support to apologists for the sexual abuse of children while they were working for NCCL. The Guardian also states that in an NCCL briefing note dated 1978, Harman urged amendments to a 1978 Child Protection Bill declaring that "images of children should only be considered pornographic if it could be proven the subject suffered", which Harman says was an argument intended to protect from "unintended consequences" such as parents being prosecuted for taking pictures of their children on the beach or in the bath.[65]

In a television interview, Harman said she had "nothing to apologise for," stating "I very much regret that this vile organisation, PIE, ever existed and that it ever had anything to do with NCCL, but it did not affect my work at NCCL."[66] Harman stated that while she did support the equalisation of the age of consent for gay men she had never campaigned for the age of consent to go below the age of 16 and accused the Daily Mail of trying to make her "guilty by way of association",.[67] Documents subsequently discovered by The Guardian contradicted her claim; Harman's name appears on a March 1976 NCCL press which states "NCCL proposes that the age of consent should be lowered to 14, with special provision for situations where the partners are close in age, or where consent of a child over ten can be proved."[68] Ed Miliband backed Harman and stated that she had "huge decency and integrity".[67]

The Daily Telegraph cast doubt on her assertion that the PIE had been "pushed to the margins" before Harman had joined the NCCL.[69]

Aftermath of the 2015 general election

Following the 2015 general election and Ed Miliband's resignation, Harman again became acting leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition after announcing that she would stand down from this role once a Labour leadership election had taken place.[70]

While interim leader, she made the decision for Labour to abstain, rather than oppose, the Welfare Reform and Work Bill 2015, leading to 48 Labour MPs defying the whip.[71] She is now the Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights.

Personal life

Harman married Jack Dromey in 1982 in Brent, London, after meeting him on the picket line of the Grunwick dispute in 1977; she was legal advisor to the Grunwick Strike Committee. They have two sons (born February 1983 and November 1984) and a daughter, Amy (born January 1987), with the latter having the surname "Harman".[72] Labour colleague Patricia Hewitt is godmother to one of her children.[14]

In late 1988, Harman was absent from the Commons for some time and on 26 December it was reported that she was suffering pneumonia brought on by psittacosis.[73]

In 1996, Harman sent her younger son Joseph to St Olave's Grammar School, Orpington, a selective grammar school, whereas she had sent her elder son Harry to the Roman Catholic London Oratory School, a grant-maintained school. Harman said of St. Olave's: "This is a state school that other children in my son's class will be going to... And admission is open to every child in Southwark irrespective of money or who their parents are". St. Olave's selects its students on the basis of its own academically competitive entrance examination, held at the school.[74]

Harman is a committed feminist, having said, "I am in the Labour Party because I am a feminist. I am in the Labour Party because I believe in equality."[75] Critics of her positions have responded by nicknaming her "Harriet Harperson".[76]

She owns a number of houses and properties, including a house in Suffolk,[77] in addition to a home in Herne Hill, south London.[78]

In 2012, Harman was awarded the Freedom of the Borough of Southwark.[79] [80]

In 2017, Harman published A Woman's Work, her personal examination of women's progressive politics over the last thirty years.[81][82]

Motoring convictions

In 2003, Harman was fined £400 and banned from driving for seven days after being convicted of driving at Template:Convert on a motorway, Template:Convert above the speed limit.[83] In 2007, Harman was issued with a £60 fixed penalty notice and given three penalty points on her licence for driving at Template:Convert in a temporary Template:Convert zone. Harman paid the fine several months late and avoided appearing at Ipswich magistrates court.[84] Harman was again caught breaking the speed limit the following April, this time in a 30 mph zone, receiving a further 3 points on her driving licence.[85]

In January 2010, Harman pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention in relation to an incident on 3 July where she struck another vehicle whilst driving using a mobile phone, she admitted the offence in court.[86][87] Harman was fined £350, ordered to pay £70 costs, a £15 victim surcharge and had three points added to her licence.[88]

Road safety organisations such as Brake condemned the leniency of the punishment and decision to drop the charge of driving whilst using a mobile phone.[89] The judge defended the decision stating "Ms Harman's guilty plea to driving without due care and attention included her admitting that she had been using a mobile phone at the time".[90]

See also

References

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Publications

  • Sex Discrimination in Schools: How to Fight it by Harriet Harman, 1978, Civil Liberties Trust Template:ISBN
  • Justice Deserted: Subversion of the Jury by Harriet Harman et al., 1979, Civil Liberties Trust Template:ISBN
  • Violence Against Social Workers: The Implications for Practice by Dan Norris, foreword by Harriet Harman, Jessica Kingsley Publishers Template:ISBN
  • The Family Way: A New Approach to Policy Making by Harriet Harman et al., 1990, Institute for Public Policy Research Template:ISBN
  • The Century Gap: 20th Century Man/21st Century Woman by Harriet Harman, 1993, Vermilion Template:ISBN
  • Winning for Women by Harriet Harman and Deborah Mattinson, 2000, Fabian Society Template:ISBN
  • Women with Attitude by Susan Vinnicombe, John Bank, foreword by Harriet Harman, 2002, Routledge Template:ISBN
  • A Woman's Work by Harriet Harman, 2017, Allen Lane Template:ISBN

External links

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Video clips

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